In All Things
by Ambs15
Summary: *Percabeth* When Annabeth gets into a bad accident and loses the last 6 months of memory, how will she regain it? Will it be through the medication, the only thing keeping her sane? Or through him, who's driving her insane? Sorry for these lame summaries, the story's better inside! Not your typical amnesiac story. I promise. R&R :)
1. Chapter 1

**((A/N Hey guys! I've decided to begin a PJO fanfic, because my HG one took off pretty well, so let's see what happened here :) READ & REVIEW! :D))**

_**[This story is in Annabeth's POV unless otherwise specified. All characters and such belong to Rick Riordan, whom I adore. This is all based off of his stories. This fanfic story takes place six months after **_**The Last Olympian**_** ends. This storyline assumes that the **_**Heroes of Olympus**_** books never happen. I apologize for any grammatical/spelling errors, as most of my writing takes place on my phone... Darn autocorrect.]**_

Cold.

All I feel is cold.

I can hear the rustles of bed sheets, and sometimes I'm aware enough to pick out muffled voices, but overall I'm not mentally present. Like only half of me is really with my body.

The other half of my mind floats through dreams and visions, too many to remember. I try to focus on the happier ones, but the nightmares are inevitable. I'm a demigod after all. There's something wrong if you're a demigod with enough sleep. Despite how long I've been immobile in bed (which I'm not sure how long it's been), I don't feel well-rested at all.

It's the cold that begins to wake me up, slowly but surely. My ears begin to clear over a few days, and once more I'm able to see light through my red eyelids. With every sharpening of my senses, however, the cold becomes more frigid. I shake under the thin sheet that covers me, hoping that someone will care enough to layer quilt after quilt on top of me.

My toes get the worst of it. About a week after I begin to gain consciousness, I shift my feet together, yearning to rub them against each other for warmth. This small movement gained a shriek of glee from whoever happened to be visiting my limp body that day.

When the chills become so violent that I consider submitting to eternal unconsciousness, it happens: I'm able to part my lips and release a noise. I sound like a high-pitched turkey being strangled, but I don't care. I'm returning.

A few hours later my eyelids flutter, harsh yellow light meeting them. I wince back into my pillow, shivering uncontrollably.

And then I see him.

He bends over me, face contorted in an adorable worry that sends my heart skipping. Unfortunately this makes a monitor attached to my bed panic, and he is ordered out of the room by a pair of Apollo nurses. They sedate me with a needle to the arm, and I fall back into my consciousness limbo.

And then I wake with a start, heart slamming against the inside of my chest so hard it hurts. I gasp for air, clutching my sternum, and await the familiar beeping noise that I'm so used to accompanying my nightmares; this time it doesn't come.

I roll my eyes upward, and see that where my heart monitor once was is now decorated with balloons and a teddy bear, the computer absent. A small stream of air leaves my parted lips as I realize I must be getting better.

Yet I don't remember why I need getting better. Was I sick? Am I still sick? Or was I wounded, maybe with a severe concussion? Whatever happened, I'm so ready to be out of this stupid hospital bed.

I try to call for a nurse, but only a crackling sound us emitted from my throat. I try to subdue the rising thirst I feel when I realize how dry my mouth is. Instead I run my sandpaper tongue over my teeth and take deep breaths through my nose. I recall that to produce saliva, a foreign substance must be placed on your tongue.

Dizziness overwhelms me as I sit up and swing my legs over the side of the bed. I grip the edge for support, my head swimming. When it clears I scan the room.

It's the infirmary at camp, I can tell by the paintings of Apollo and the lack of adult workers. But I've never seen this specific room. Everything is white except for the paintings and the array of gifts balanced at the head of my cot. It looks as though it's normally used for long-term patients.

I peel my chapped lips apart, and reach for the nearest thing I can suck on: a plant stem.

Out of the bouquet that replaced my monitor, I pluck a dandelion and place the green end in my mouth. I let the dandelion flavor fill my mouth, and my stomach rumbles in encouragement. Instantly I wonder how long it's been since I've eaten.

My curiosity leads me to stand, to search the room for a calendar; instead, the moment I reach my full height, I collapse. My knees smack into the tile floor and my palms follow. I try to pull myself back onto the bed, but my attempt sends the flower vase teetering off balance. It too smashes to the floor, sending shards of glass in all directions.

The noise alerts the nurses of my awakening, and they rush in almost immediately, worry plastered on each of their faces.

"I told you we shouldn't have kept that there." One girl says grudgingly.

"Sweetie, don't move, okay? We don't want you cutting up your pretty little hands." Another girl practically sings.

I do not recognize either of them, which is strange because I thought I knew everyone at camp.

"Who...?" I trail off when I see the greenish tint to their skin, "Dryads?"

"I'm Emmy, and this is Janice. We've been taking care of you since... Well..." The perky one squeaks, her high pitched voice unsure.

I want to ask questions. In fact, I feel as though I have so many in my brain that I can't focus. But my throat aches when I speak, so all I do is freeze and let Emmy and Janice work on getting me out of my glass mess and back into bed with minimal injuries. In the end all I have is a cut on my hand, and badly bruised knees.

"Now, Annabeth Chase, daughter of Athena." Janice sounds exasperated, "You're date of discharge isn't supposed to be until three days from now. But seeing that you seem healthy and aware..." She glances up at me as I chew on another stem, "Aware enough, anyways... You're cleared to leave as soon as Percy shows up to take you."

His name makes my stomach clench, and I find myself grinning widely.

Janice eyes me, "I sure hope Emmy knows what she's doing by letting you out early..."

But I barely hear her. My mind is revolving around green eyes and the smell of salt water taffy.

Percy will be able to answer my questions. He'll be able to get me out of this place.

I stare up at the white ceiling, breathing deeply and letting myself relax. I don't usually get this panicky. I'm Annabeth Chase. My middle name is composure.

My first hint as to what put me in this infirmary happens when I try to remember what my real middle name is. But the thing is... I can't remember.

My breathing quickens, and for a moment I wish that my monitor would sound, calling the nurses to put me under. But then the door to my room burst open.

His eyes focus on me, and when it registers that I'm awake and responsive, he lets out a huge breath and rushes over to me, throwing his arms around my shoulders.

I'm engulfed in his smell, his embrace, and in that moment I feel perfect again.

Then he ruins that moment of perfection by kissing me.

I jerk away reflexively, narrowly missing the headboard. My lungs threaten to fill past their capacity as I gasp roughly.

"What... The... Hades?" I inch away from him. He steps back in a half-apologetic, half-hurt manner. This confuses me.

"I'm sorry. Did I hurt you?" His eyebrows knit together, and his hands go up as if surrendering.

"You freaking kissed me!" I nearly yell, ignoring the ripping sensation in my larynx.

"I... I..." He stumbles, clearly as confused about my reaction than I was to his action.

"Perseus Jackson?" Emmy and Janice enter through the door, each holding clipboards. "I should warn you. Miss Chase may have some... Er... _different_ memories than before..." Emmy ends her warning awkwardly, seeing the defensive positions of both Percy and I.

"Different how?" Percy and I say unanimously.

"Um... Uh... Some of her memories are gone. Some are altered. With this," Emmy pats a bottle balanced on get clipboard, "Her mind will reconstruct itself. She'll be back to normal soon." The doubt in her voice worries me.

"So we can go?" Percy asks, resuming his position closer to me as if the past few minutes didn't happen.

"Please! Just leave!" Janice groans loudly, stomping out of the room.

"Take one of these every twelve hours. You've been a model patient, Annabeth." Emmy smiles politely, hands the bottle to Percy, and then shuffles after her partner.

The silence that follows is excruciatingly awkward.

But I'd prefer it to the even more awkward thing Percy voices: "You've never rejected me before."

"_Before?_ What does that even mean?"

"I think it's the opposite of after... But you're the smart one in our relationship."

"Wait. Slow down. Relationship?" I gape at him.

"Yeah. We've been together for six months next week."

"And by together you mean...?"

"Dating." He cocks his head to the side slightly, studying my expression, "Please, please tell me you believe me. Anyone at camp can tell you. We even won 'Cutest Couple' at last month's awards ceremony!" He pulls out his wallet and shows me a picture of us smiling together, his hand around my waist, my arm looped over his shoulders. We look so happy, yet I can't remember the day it was taken.

"Look, Percy. I believe you. But right now, in my mind you're... You're my best friend." I wince at the grief that consumes his expression. He sides his wallet into his back pocket almost mechanically, in shock. "I'm sure the medicine will help me remember though." I add quickly.

He snorts, sighs, and then offers me a hand. I take it gratefully and pull myself to my feet.

"Where to?" I inquire as he lugs me out of the infirmary.

He glances down at me and smirks when he sees my hospital gown. "Your cabin. We have _got _to get you some pants."


	2. Chapter 2

**((A/N Hey guys! Here's Chapter Two. It's pretty long, so I hope you like it :D Review por favor!))**

My cabin is littered with protractors, rulers, and engineering paper stacked on top of books, more books, and (surprise!) even more books. There are rows of bunk beds, a few dozen of them lining the walls of the cabin. In the middle is a table, or rather an extremely oversized desk, split into sections with backlit surfaces and complete sets of gel pens.

This, however, has never left my memory. It all looks exactly the same except for a few new bunks being occupied. I resist the urge to run over and fling myself onto my bunk, wishing horribly that I could just curl up on the mattress and think for the next month or two.

Instead I curl my hands into fists and dig my fingernails into my flesh to keep steady. I make my way over to my set of drawers, pull out a pair of jeans and a t-shirt, and then close myself in the bathroom where I quickly change. I'm about to leave when I realize I haven't showered in however long I've been out. I undress, turn the shower on, and rinse myself off for five minutes.

Right before I exit the bathroom I catch a glimpse of myself in the mirror and suck in a sharp breath. I've lost a few pounds, making me look a lot skinnier since I was lean in the first place. My eyes are red and itchy, and my lips are so chapped they're bleeding. I look like a meth addict.

"You didn't tell me I looked this horrible." I say, walking out of the bathroom, throwing my towel onto my bed and plopping down next to it.

"I bet I don't look too good either, Annabeth. I don't think I've slept in a week." He mumbles. His hands run through his disheveled black hair, and I can't help but stare.

It's true, he's looked better, but this boy is still ridiculously attractive. His bright green eyes are surrounded by dark eyelashes and tanned skin… He's taller than I remember, probably six feet, and his teeth are pearly white.

My heart flutters in my chest for reasons I don't remember, and I find myself panicking again. Why did I reject this boy? I mean, I've had a crush on him for a year now. Why couldn't I have just let him kiss me? Maybe I should have kissed him back…

_That would be using him._ I remind myself, _He's your best friend, Annabeth. Gods._

"Percy?" I look up at him, and his eyes meet mine. My heart skips a beat. I almost ask him for another kiss, but I find myself saying, "Where are my pills?"

His shoulders fall, as if he were hoping for a better question. He sighs and points at me, "They're right in your hand, Wise Girl." I look down and find myself clutching the bottle tightly, my knuckles white. I feel heat rise to my face and mutter a thanks.

After swallowing the medicine my nerves feel much less frayed. I'm able to keep my thoughts together and my emotions separate from logic.

"It's dinner time. Are you hungry?" the tenseness in his voice makes me shift uncomfortably.

"I haven't eaten in…" I cut off my sentence, thinking hard, "Percy, how long was I out?"

"Nine days." He offers me a hand, and I take it as I stand. He holds it for a moment longer, pursing his lips and studying my face like he wants to tell me something. Then he shakes his head and sighs, "I'll fill you in on all of the accident details after we eat."

I nod in agreement, my stomach making weird gurgling sounds.

There's silence between us all the way to the cafeteria, but when we get there it's like a party is going on. Demigods are covered in silly string and streamers, balloons are strewn everywhere, and Chiron is doing nothing to stop the rampant game happening throughout the hallway.

"AAAANNAAABEEETTTHHHHHHH!" they all yell in unison, making my head throb. I don't recognize a few of them, but they seem to know me, so I go along with it as people pat me on the back and give me congratulatory hugs.

This treatment continues all throughout dinner, but I'm so consumed in the food that I barely notice. One girl I don't know walks up and grins at me with a huge mouth full of braces and asks me how I've been doing, and I reply by snorting a loose piece of roast beef onto her glasses. It wasn't one of my more attractive moments.

At the end of the meal Chiron stands up to do his usual announcements. "Campers!" he thunders, his voice silencing the hall almost completely, "As we all know, our veteran camper Annabeth Chase has begun recovery today!" And then the crowd begins to scream again. I feel queasy, but I can't tell if it's from the gross amount of food I consumed, or all the attention. Chiron is able to subdue the ocean of demi-children once more, "I request that you give her some space. Tonight was a reunion of sorts, but she won't be able to recover if there's always someone hanging on her!" His eyes shoot daggers at a young boy who has latched onto my arm.

I feel grateful for Chiron's respect for my privacy, but the way he keeps saying 'recover' makes me feel fragile. Of course, I am much more fragile now, but I don't want it publicized. I want to yell that I'm still me, and that people don't need to praise me for… for whatever I've done. Not even when Percy and I saved the world did Camp Half-Blood have this big of a celebration. I'm beginning to worry deeply about what I've done to deserve this kind of praise.

"Do you… ah…?" Percy's eyes shift from me to the door, silently asking for an early departure. I nod enthusiastically, and once the silly string has begun flying through the air, we slink out the back door.

"What the heck did I _do?_" I ask, eyes wide.

"You kind of faced your biggest fears, saved my life, and killed a minotaur." He takes my hand, which instantly spreads warmth up my arm. "Come with me."

Before I even have time to reply he takes off, leading me towards a trail that I recognize as the one that heads to the beach. Of course.

"Wait, you're the only one from Camp who has killed a minotaur… Percy, wait!" I stumble over roots and rocks, this trail unfamiliar to me.

"Sorry," he mumbles, "I forgot that you forgot this trail."

"I knew it before?"

"Better than I did." He says, which I find hard to believe since he blindly hops over tree roots with ease. He takes my hand again, slowing down for me.

"Why would that cause such a celebration? I mean, you've saved the world."

"Because, Annabeth, _I'm_ a child of Poseidon. _You _were born from a woman who pops out babies like, every other day. People expect it from me." His foot catches on a stump and he loses his balance, toppling to the ground. I'm pulled down with him. "People expect me to save the world, and I can't even walk upright." He mumbles, brushing his hands off on his jeans. He stands and helps me up with a quiet apology.

When my feet finally hit sand instead of dirt, I kick off my shoes and walk through barefoot. Percy does the same, and I get the feeling this is a habit of ours. "So we come here often?"

"This is our spot." He plops onto the ground in a spot I don't find particularly special.

"It seems kind of random." I voice my opinion, sitting next to him.

"It's special." His teeth grind together, and he stares at a point in the distance.

"Are you going to tell me why?" I bump my shoulder to his playfully.

"It's where… We were sitting here when you told me you loved me for the first time. Four months ago. I'd said it before, but right here was where you said it back for the first time." His eyes shift down to the sand, "You always seemed so preoccupied, what with planning Olympus. I brought you out here past curfew one night, and we just messed around and had some alone time. We were sitting right here, and I put my arm around you, and you just leaned in and kissed me. Then you pulled back and told me. I almost passed out." He chuckles sadly, I finally realize how much he's struggling. It's like he's having more trouble than I am, dealing with this.

"Tell me how I got hurt." He puts his arm around me, and I realize that I've subconsciously leaned against his shoulder. I nuzzle deeper into his embrace.

"Remember that boy who was hanging onto you during dinner? His name is Wesley Neville, son of Hermes. You and I were sent out on a mission to find him in New Jersey. He lived in the northeast, pretty close to those cliffs…"

"The Palisades?" I cut in.

"Yeah, those. Well, he was running from a few monsters, and we finally found him out in the forest, pretty close to the cliffs. He was huddled up under an overhang and had sprained his ankle pretty badly. So I picked him up and we were carrying him back through the forest when the minotaur showed up."

"So soon? I thought he was going to be gone for at least a hundred years…" I say, completely consumed in his story.

"So did I; that's why it caught me off guard. You were walking in front of me, and all of the sudden this blur just shoots out from behind a tree and knocks you to the ground. I helped Wesley into a tree to keep him safe, and then came over to help you. It didn't seem like you needed help though… I mean, by the time I'd caught up with you, you'd gotten back on your feet and given that beast a pretty nasty cut along its snout. Too bad he noticed me, and came charging in my direction. He seemed pretty pissed. I would be too, if the guy that killed me was standing there watching me. Anyways, I jumped out of the way but I guess the minotaur expected it, because he stopped right over me and pinned me to the ground. He had this really weird weapon, and somehow he seemed to know where my Achilles spot was… I swear, Annabeth, he was seconds away from killing me…" he finally looks up at me, his eyes watery. "You jumped at him from the side, set him off balance, and you both went rolling over the edge of the cliff. I couldn't get there fast enough… the only thing I saw was the splash that happened when you hit the Hudson. And then…" he sounds close to sobbing, so I give him a squeeze which places a small sad smile on his lips, "You floated to the top, and the minotaur didn't. I was so happy I was hysterical. But you didn't move. You just floated down the Hudson River, facedown, completely unmoving. Suddenly all that glee changed to horror, so fast it was like a switch being flipped."

I don't know what to say for a few seconds, and Percy's throat seems to have closed, so we just sit there in silence. I try and imagine what it would've felt like if the roles were reversed. And that's when I feel it.

It's small, and buried deep inside of me, but I feel an inkling of recognition, like my heart is used to the warmth that Percy radiates. But then the feeling disappears, and I feel the need to break the silence. "I do love you, Percy. You're definitely my favorite person in this world." It sounds awkward and simple, but it's all I can bring myself to say.

"Yeah. Love you too." He rubs his eyes, and then balances his chin on his hands, "Sorry. I don't usually cry around you."

"Don't apologize. You should… _Mnemosyne!_" I burst out, sitting up straight and pressing my hands to my temples.

"I should _what?_" Percy looks over at me in such utter confusion, I almost laugh.

"Mnemosyne! The titaness of memory. She could help me!" I stand and slap my forehead, "I cannot believe I didn't think of this earlier. Percy, we have to go see her!"

"Wait, slow down. Do you even know where she lives? And isn't this more of a Lethe problem?" he stands next to me.

"The goddess of forgetfulness? Are you joking? She can't even remember her own name. Percy, Mnemosyne was the mother of the muses. The muses are usually in the gardens in Olympus, and what kind of child doesn't know where their mother is?"

"Where's your mom right now, Annabeth?" Percy raises an eyebrow and crosses his arms.

I make a face, "Point taken. But she resides in Olympus, I know that for sure. They have to know where she is." My hopefulness seems to cloud my logic, "I want to remember so badly. I'm going, whether or not you're coming with me."

He laughs out loud, and I flinch in surprise as it was not the reaction I expected. "Are you joking? When have I not gone on a quest with you? Oh, right, _never!_" he grins down at me, "Bring on the harp-playing babies!"


	3. Chapter 3

**((A/N Here's another long Chapter for you guys :) Tell me if you like it so far. I hope you do! I'm open for suggestions too!))**

I don't know why I expected this whole quest thing to be easy, but the trouble starts not ten minutes after Percy and I have left the beach. Chiron trots up, a disapproving frown on his face. "Where have you been? Everyone has been worried. Annabeth, are you alright?" he eyes me critically.

"I'm fine!" I whine in exasperation.

"We've just been here, Chiron. We're always here when you're looking for us, you know that." Percy adds. Out of the corner of my eye I see his fingers twitch, as if he's holding them back from instinctively grabbing mine.

"Never mind that, you two have been attacked recently and therefore should always be in sight of a counselor." The centaur crosses his arms.

"You mean you or Mr. D? Are you joking?" Percy's eyes widen, and he gapes, "Chiron, you know we're capable enough to take care of ourselves."

"Either way, you are both campers here, and you must abide by our rules!"

"But we were going –Oof!" I jab Percy in the ribs before he gives us away, and he grimaces.

"Going where?" Chiron raises a bushy eyebrow towards me.

"We were heading to grab some dessert. I wanted to get out of the cafeteria as soon as I could, and Percy never got his pudding." I lie smoothly.

Chiron seems to consider this for a moment and then sighs, "Come with me."

Percy silently praises me for my quick thinking as we follow Chiron up to the Big House. "Only one problem with your story," he leans in and whispers close to my ear, "I hate pudding."

I look up at him in dramatic horror and he shakes with laughter.

* * *

"Tomorrow morning before anyone wakes up, I'll call a taxi. We can get a ride to the Empire State Building and go from there." Percy leans against the wall, scooping spoonfulls of blue ice cream out of the dish in his hands. It keeps magically replenishing itself, but I'm not worried that Percy will get fat. He may be lazy, but he has the metabolism of a hummingbird.

"A taxi? Aren't those… you know, dangerous?" I look up at him from my desk, where the blueprints I had been drawing for Olympus are now spread out.

He laughs, "You've never been in a taxi?"

"Magical ones." I say defensively.

"No way. You live in New York. People here are _born_ in taxis."

"Yeah, we're not taking a taxi." I stick my tongue out in disgust, turning back to my sketches.

"We can't take Mrs. O'Leary into the city. Blackjack?"

"Most definitely not." My nose crinkles, and I find myself unable to concentrate. I turn the desk lamp off, shove my work into folders, and turn to look at him, "Last time I went on Blackjack I lost my lunch. Are you positive Sally can't take us?"

"She's in Maryland, visiting Paul's family." Percy links his fingers behind his head and leans back, "I could take us through the water, but…"

"But what?"

"I don't know if you'd think it was uncomfortable, but you'd have to stay against me at all times, or else you might drown." He turns slightly red.

"Yeah, I'm not too fond of drowning." I say, realizing I can now speak from experience. I stand up and slide to the floor next to him, "But Percy, I don't mind a hug every now and then. It's not like you're a stranger. You're my best friend."

His eyes meet mine for a few seconds, and then he reaches out and pulls me into a tight hug, "I cannot wait until we get your memory back."

"Me neither." I laugh, "So it's decided. We drive."

"Drive? Drive what?"

"A car, silly. You know where Argus keeps his limo? Well it's a shack there, and rumor has it there's a truck too."

"We're hijacking a rusty old truck from a thousand-eyed guy to take to a Greek heaven above the Empire State building in the middle of New York City?" he asks, bewildered. Then a familiar grin spreads across his face, "This is going to be so much fun!"

* * *

"Do you know how to drive?" I whisper, staring at the truck in front of us. I was expecting something a little more magical than a red-paint peeling Toyota with one functional seat. The other seat seems to have been clawed up and puked on by something bigger than a hellhound. Most of the letters on the hatchback have peeled off, leaving the car's butt to read 'YO'.

"I took twenty minutes of driver's ed." Percy replies, as stunned as I am.

"Twenty minutes?" I say worriedly, popping my morning pill into my mouth to calm my nerves.

"I got kicked out for attacking a kid I thought was a monster." He sees me eyeing him and quickly adds, "He had weird contacts in."

I shake my head in disapproval, "Okay, so since I have no clue how to even turn a car on, you're going to drive."

"Er… okay." He shifts through the debris surrounding the truck and climbs in to the driver's seat, clutching the wheel hesitantly, "Aw Hades, it's got a clutch."

"A _what?_" I say, crawling in beside him. I have to sit pretty close to his side to avoid the revolting stains littering the seat.

"Clutch. I don't know how to drive this." He looks over at me hopefully, as if I'll suddenly be hit with information on how to drive a truck like this.

"Well, you're going to have to try." I hand him the key, which I found on a hook outside the shack. There's really no need to worry about demigods stealing cars when you live in a magical valley where dogs can transport you to China. Yet here we are…

Percy shoves the key into the ignition and the truck sputters to life with more noise than I'd prefer. The headlights come on (well, one of them anyways), and there's a loud grinding noise as the vehicle lurches forward, giving me slight whiplash.

The Toyota takes off with more speed than either of us anticipated, and Percy has to yank the wheel left and right to avoid trees and campers who are just waking up. Their mouths pop open and they point in awe.

I grip the dashboard, already feeling queasy, "Slow down."

"I can't! If we slow down Chiron will stop us! Plus the brakes aren't working…" I snap my neck to look at him, and he's smirking.

"Perseus Jackson! Do _not_ joke like that!" I yell, half out of anger, half out of relief.

He laughs, swerving through the forest like it's a video game. Only, we each have one life.

"Ow!" I groan as we rev over a bump and my head hits the roof, "I'm not invincible like you, Percy."

"Right. Sorry." He still grins. Tree branches slap our windows, and rocks keep rolling under the tires. And then finally we break onto the road, barely missing a collision with a semi.

I pray to my mother and Zeus under my breath, squeezing my eyes shut as we speed down the road. Percy passes the semi-truck, and we speed at least forty miles over the speed limit.

I feel like hell; Percy on the other hand is enthusiastically yelling things like, "Yeehaw!" and "Bonus points!" as he swerves off the road to run over dirt mounds and small animals. Who knew that this city boy had a hillbilly inside of him?

We break out onto the interstate where everyone seems to be going past us at an even faster pace than Percy's horrifying driving style. We speed along a ninety miles an hour, which is a lot faster than I thought this old truck could go. Apparently it's been enchanted, because even after thirty miles we're still full on gas.

The green sign signaling our exit comes up, and Percy has to slam the brakes on when we hit the traffic. I lurch forward and my gut slams into the dashboard. I moan and curl my knees to my chin, hugging myself tightly. I think Percy's driving my just have passed up spiders on my 'Worst Fears' list.

"Almost there." He puts his hand on my knee comfortingly, which I find ironic since he's the one causing my pain. I push his hand away and he chuckles obnoxiously.

When we finally pull up to the Empire State Building, the first thing I do is run behind the truck and puke. Then I spin around and head towards the doors, determined that I can handle anything after our adventure to get here.

The doors slide open, and Percy and I walk in side by side.

The demigod guards recognize us immediately, and one of them pats Percy on the shoulder as we wait for the elevator.

"Doing good work, Annie?" the guard smiles at me.

"For Olympus? I hope so," I bite the inside of my cheek. These men unsettle me.

"Good girl. Ah, here it is!" There's a soft ding, and the men usher Percy and I into the elevator where we stand until another ding signals our arrival to Olympus.

As the doors open, so does my mouth. It seems that half of the place has been rebuilt already, in ways that I would consider ideal. I have to remind myself that most of them are my own ideas.

"Yeah, you're doing a pretty good job. My father is thrilled with your placement of fountains throughout the city." Percy takes my hand and pulls me forward, towards the building at the top of this floating mountain. We pass familiar vendors on the way, but their hellos are distant. I'm still in awe of my work.

There's even more marble than before, and whatever isn't marble is coated in abalone or mother-of-pearl. Pillars stand over the walkway, high above the roofs of the buildings.

But I'm only able to admire my own work for a few moments, because the next thing I know we're standing at the top of the huge steps leading to the massive building meant for gods fifty times our size.

"Ready?" Percy looks over at me.

I look back at him, "I've been here before, Seaweed Brain."

"I know… I was… I was just trying to make it more dramatic." He mumbles, turning a shade of deep embarrassed purplish red.

I crack up, "Well then Mr. Jackson, I was born ready."

We begin the ascent up, having to hoist ourselves two feet up for each step. When we reach the top I stand, brushing myself off (which is pointless, by the way, because there's no dust in Olympus).

"Perseus." A loud booming voice thunders, and a grin spreads over Percy's face. Poseidon stands ten yards away, dressed in a tuxedo and black sunglasses.

"Dad! What the heck are you wearing?"

"I thought it would be more dramatic," Poseidon chuckles. Like father like son. They hug, and I feel my stomach clench in longing. Percy has Sally a phone call away, but I haven't seen either of my parents in months.

Right on cue, "Annabeth?"

I spin on my heel to see my own mother standing there, arms crossed over her chest. I don't run to her and hug her like Percy did to his dad; she would probably disown me. But I smile and give her a wave, "Hello, Athena."

She's wearing a shimmering gold toga, which makes her gray eyes shockingly light against her dark curls. She's beautiful, even with her lips pointed down in a scowl, "What are _you_ doing here?" She asks, but I think it's directed at Percy. I remember their disliking of each other.

"Annabeth is trying to get her memory back." Percy says, his head protruding from a chokehold Poseidon had put him in. His hair is even more mussed up than usual.

"Right. I need to go talk to the muses…"

"Muses? Why would you ever want to talk to those nitwits?" Poseidon butts in, gawking at me.

"She wants to find Mnemosyne." Athena says, her hard eyes boring into me, as if she's reading my mind, "She thinks she'll be able to persuade her memories back. Of what I'm not sure…"

I glance over at Percy and swallow, and my mother gasps, "Oh! Oh no, darling, consider yourself lucky you're rid of those six horrible months. Go home now. I'll come and speak to you later."

"Are you joking?" Percy has wrestled his way out of his father's arms and has come to stand beside me; not too close though, or else Athena might chop his dense little head off.

"Joking is for Baubo and drunkards. I do not joke." Athena's scowl deepens, "But I am sure that no amount of verbal persuasion could stop this little quest of yours. Just know that if you continue on with this pointlessness, I will cause setbacks."

"Mom…" But before I can say anything, she has turned into an owl and swooped away.

"That woman is such a boar." Poseidon grunts.

"Hey!"

"Sorry, Annabeth. But we all know it's true." He chuckles heartily, and I can't help but smile. He reminds me so much of Percy. "So. Setbacks, eh? I think I can help with that." He gives me a huge wink, pats Percy on the back, and jogs in the direction Athena flew off to, his clothes morphing from the tux to beachwear.

"This is going to be interesting." Percy laughs.

"For once, Seaweed Brain, I think you might be correct."


	4. Chapter 4

**((A/N Hey guys, sorry about the delay on the update, I've been having family issues. I won't bore you with my life, though... instead, have a joyous time reading the fourth Chapter! Tell me if you like it! :)))**

Euterpe blows melodies on her flute while Terpsichore dances around aimlessly. Melpomene lays face down on the ground, sobbing for no apparent reason, while Thalia (the muse, not the daughter of Zeus) tries to cheer her up by telling cheesy knock knock jokes. Urania gazes up at the sky, squinting hard against the sun. Erato, Calliope, Clio, and Polyhymnia balance themselves on the edge of a fountain, staring hard at me, each of their critical gazes giving me different feelings.

"So…" Percy mutters awkwardly next to me, scratching the back of his head. He does this when he doesn't know what to say.

"You've got to be joking. Apollo put you up to this, didn't he? That man is always trying to get on our nerves." Calliope mutters, crossing her arms over her chest. She's slightly pudgy, as are the rest of her sisters, but they have pretty features, like most goddesses do.

"No, we're serious. She lost her memory. Well, part of it anyways." Percy smacks his palm to his forehead in demonstration.

"Well, we're sorry but no one knows where our mother is. She seems to have gone missing a few decades ago." Clio mutters, her voice quiet, "Of course she hasn't receded fully, since many people are still experiencing amnesia throughout the world. I wonder why she chose you."

"Athena probably bribed her." Melpomene cries out, her voice muffled against the ground, "Next thing you know, she'll be leaving without notice. Why? Why do mothers have to be so…" she subsides back into crying.

"Let me guess. Muse of tragedy?" Percy asks, suppressing a smile.

"You don't know who we are?" Polyhymnia gasps, "I thought everyone knew who we are."

"I know that you're muses. Daughters of Mnemosyne and Zeus. I just can't tell who's who…" he grits his teeth, "Sorry… ah… Erato?"

"I'm Polyhymnia!" the sacred poetry muse humphs, crossing her arms and turning away.

"Roses are red, violets are blue, I'm Erato and I adore you two. Your battles, your heartbreak, all through the pain, somehow you've managed to keep one another sane. It's inspiring, really-"

"Shut up Erato! Why do you always have to rhyme everything you say?" Clio groans.

"I'm the goddess of poetic love, rhyming is what I know most of." Erato fumes.

"You'd be a fantastic rapper Erato," Percy butts in, "But right now, Annabeth and I really have to find Mnemosyne."

The poetry muses turn to one another and nod in silent agreement. My stomach drops, knowing that they have made the decision to not tell us anything.

"We're very sorry." They hum in unison. They each stand and go back to what they were doing before Percy and I showed up… all except for Erato.

"You're right Percy Jackson I love to sing, and I'm sorry I could not tell you anything, but here, have this, it's a personal playlist; it will be extremely helpful, if you get the gist." She winks at Percy, causing my muscles to tense up. Jealousy begins to bubble up in my stomach, but I try to suppress it as Erato pulls a flash-drive out of her robes and places it in Percy's palm.

"Uh… Thanks," he blinks, completely clueless, and turns to me, "Well I guess this was a bust lead. Let's get out of here."

I take the USB out of his palm and turn, trying not to storm away in anger, "This is ridiculous. I thought gods and goddesses existed to help mortals! But you know, screw that idea, let's just all be unhelpful butthead immortals who don't give any useful advice to demigods because they're incompetent little weenies who don't have the guts to go find something by themselves!"

"Annabeth-"

"I mean seriously, what kind of parent doesn't give advice to their child? I mean, I've never learned that kind of thing, but I've seen it in movies. Parents are supposed to be there to guide the child, aren't they? Sally is always there for you. That's why you have a curfew, and why she does everything in her power to keep you safe."

"Annabeth…"

"I cannot believe that we're not going to get any assistance from anyone in this lousy place. A stupid playlist for all this trouble? I should have never agreed to decorate the palace of such stuck-up, rude, unimportant, self-absorbed, heartless monsters!"

"Annabeth!" Percy grabs my wrist, pulling me to a stop, "Chill out! We've done things much harder than this before."

All of the bubbling hatred I have in my gut begins to dissolve, and I bite my lip to keep from spitting some sarcastic insult at Percy, "I need my pills."

"You're only supposed to take them every twelve hours."

"I need them." I glare at him intently. And it's true; I feel my heart rate speeding up, my vision swims, and my head begins throbbing so painfully that I have to push my palm into my temple.

"What, so now you're dependent on drugs?" His voice cuts through me, each syllable sending a wave of pain through my head. White light creeps into the edge of my sight.

"Gods Percy, just give them to me." I hold out a hand, covering my eyes with the other. I flinch when I feel his hand on my thigh, and then realize that he's taking the medicine out of my pocket. I keep forgetting that I'm the one in possession of them.

"Here." He pushes one into my palm, the softness of his voice no longer existent.

I stuff it into my mouth and swallow it dry, not caring when it scrapes down my throat. Instantly I feel better, the ringing in my ears settling to a constant buzz. "Thank you."

He doesn't reply, only begins walking towards the elevator back to New York. I follow, a little dazed.

"What happens if you overdose?" he mutters, halfway back to the ground.

"Uh…" I fumble with the bottle, spinning it between my fingers to find the warning label. "Warning, if more pills taken than prescribed amount the side-effects may include: Shortness of breath, dizziness, loss of consciousness, heightened emotions, and in extreme cases kidney failure or even death."

"Great," is all Percy groans. The rest of the march back to the truck is silent and awkward. We slide in next to each other, and I risk sitting on the disgusting stain instead of pressing against his side. The rusty clunker sputters to life, but Percy's silent anger seems to have helped with his driving. At least we're on the right side of the road.

I want to ask where we're headed, but I refuse to break the silence. Instead I try to deduct our whereabouts by street signs. I'm not amazing at directions though, considering I've barely had time to sightsee New York; the only times I've been here are when the world's fate was on my shoulders. So I stay silent as Percy pulls into traffic and begins driving away.

I notice where we're going about five minutes before we get there. "Why are we going to your apartment?" I give up on silence.

"Well, we can't go back to camp." He stares straight ahead. I realize he's right; if we returned to Camp Half-Blood after stealing a truck and tearing down dozens of trees in our path, only to come back empty-handed, we would be grounded. Forever.

He parks the truck and we get out. He immediately hops up the steps, but I stop for a few seconds, staring up at the building. I've been here once before, years ago when the Laistrygonians attacked. But it seems more familiar than that, like I've visited more than once. Many times.

"You okay?" Percy has stopped at the top of the steps, looking down at me.

"I came here a lot?" I meet his eyes. They look sad.

"At least once a week. My mother couldn't get enough of you." He trots back down the steps and takes my hand. It no longer feels awkward; in fact, it steadies me.

I enter the all-too-familiar room, the smell of taffy and freshly baked cookies permeating the air. Definitely not the smell of a normal New York City apartment.

"Go get your laptop," I tell him, "I want to check out Erato's playlist."

He gives me a puzzled look and seems about to argue. Then he shrugs and disappears around a corner.

My eyes skim the room, absorbing my surroundings, and then land on a bookshelf in the far corner. I walk over and pick a picture frame off the top of it, my brain running a thousand miles-an-hour. It's a film of pictures, like the ones you get from a photo booth. I am in them; Percy sits next to me. In the top one we're making faces, our tongues sticking out and our eyes crossed. This brings a smile to my face. In the picture below the first, Percy is kissing my cheek while I playfully cringe away from him, a huge grin on my scrunched up face. In the third, we are kissing. In the fourth we both are looking at each other with dopey grins, blush filling our cheeks.

I swallow hard, a lump forming in my throat. My shaky fingers immediately reach up to my throat, where my camp necklace lays. I untie it and hold it in my palm, looking at each bead. I have ten from camp, my father's ring, and a new item: a small charm with a seahorse on it. In the back of my mind, I knew it was there.

"I got that for you." Percy's voice makes me jump, and I drop both things in my hands. My necklace hits the ground, beads scattering, and the picture lands face-up, a thin crack running through the glass.

"Oh g-gods, I am so s-sorry. I d-don't know why-" I stutter, covering my mouth with my hands.

"It's fine. Are you alright?" He's already beside me, bent down to collect the beads.

"I'm okay," I say, but the words feel wrong in my mouth. I am not okay.

"Are you sure?" he seems to have detected the false tone in my voice.

I part my lips to answer, but a sob escapes instead. I cover my mouth with my hand once more, holding back tears. I can't cry in front of Percy.

He runs his hands up over his face and through his hair, and then pulls me onto his lap comfortingly. I'm not crying; I'm hyperventilating, my heart doing flips in my chest. I shake uncontrollably, like I'm having a panic attack. I can't think straight. I'm dizzy. I try to reach for my medicine, but Percy's grip locks around my wrist, "No, Annabeth." His voice is stern and decided, and I wonder why he won't just let me swallow one more pill. I wonder a lot of things in such a small period of time.

And then it's clear again. My body stops convulsing and I take a deep breath.

"You're overdose caused this. Not the stress." Percy lets me out of his embrace and I stand, propping myself up against the wall. Percy begins stringing the beads back onto my necklace.

"I remembered. I remembered when we took those pictures. It was the day you got me the charm." I say, my voice unsteady.

Percy whips into a standing position and grips my biceps, staring into my eyes, "You remember? The whole day?"

"No. Just that… That the two were connected." It sounds stupid when I say it out loud and I feel heat rise into my face.

"That's something," Percy nods optimistically, and lets go of me, "So… why do I have my computer?"

"Oh!" I jump excitedly, remembering about the flash-drive. I pull it out of my pocket and stick it into the computer, letting it load.

Erato's face takes over the screen, her large brown eyes conquering her whole face. "Hello my lovelies! I'm glad you've decided to take a look at my playlist." She winks, and I feel that jealousy inside me again.

"Erato?" Percy asks stupidly.

"Of course my dear." The lady on the screen replies.

"What happened to rhyming everything you say?" I inquire.

"Oh, I just do that to annoy my sisters. I've got them convinced it's a birth defect or something. Really, there's no other way to have fun up here!" she sighs.

"Do you know where Mnemosyne is?" I ask.

"Her name is so long. Can we just call her M&M or something?" Percy butts in.

"You want to name a Titaness after candy-coated chocolate?" I gape at him in disbelief.

"Yes, I think that would be appropriate." Percy stares back at me.

"Sweethearts, I'm afraid I don't have much more time. My sisters are looking for me. But yes Annabeth, honey, I do know where my mother is."

"Where?" Percy and I say in unison.

"I'm afraid I can't tell you directly, sugar. But I can give you some advice." Erato's voice has lowered to a whisper, and I can hear her sisters calling for her in the distance.

"Why can't you tell us?" I mutter.

"It'd be in direct violation of a promise she made us all keep. A code of silence of sorts." She hums, "But there's one person who knows her whereabouts and has never vowed to be silent." Erato breaks off, looking over her shoulder quickly.

"WHO?" I scream-whisper.

"Go find her. She'll help you, I know she will. She loves a good romantic tragedy. You two are the next Romeo and Juliet! It is the East, and Annabeth is the sun! Perseus, Oh Perseus, where for art thou Perseus…"

"Aphrodite?" I cut in, my annoyance rising.

"Oh, yes. Good luck with my mother. I'm rooting for you… Oh, you don't mind if I inspire a poem about you, do you? Because I-"

I close the laptop, ignoring the request of Erato.

"Looks like we get to see Aphrodite." Percy rubs the back of his neck anxiously, "Don't freak out like last time, okay?"

"What did I do last time?" I blink in confusion.

"Let's just say that you and the goddess of love aren't exactly on friendly terms."

"Percy, what did I do?" I practically growl.

"Ah…" he turns bright red and his eyes skim over the top of my head.

She stands behind me with her eyes fierce, her arms crossed, her make-up flawless, and her robes flowing in the draft-less air. "Seriously? You again?"

And then I, Annabeth Chase, have suddenly transformed into a dog.


	5. Chapter 5

**((A/N Sorry about this pretty short chapter guys, but I wanted to get it up ASAP. I might be able to get another chapter up tonight! :) Thanks for reading! Love it when you Review!))**

As expected, Percy freaks out a little more than I do.

"What the Hades? Why would you do that?" He sputters, his horrified eyes glued on me. I look down at my hands and see fluffy, curly yellow paws. Then I look up and bark at Aphrodite.

"Oh hush, you've been declawed." She says sternly, although her eyes are aflame.

"Aphrodite! Turn her back!" I suspect Percy is trying to be louder, but his voice comes out as a squeak.

"What did I do?" I say. Or, rather, I try to say. It comes out as a series of growls that only I understand. Will I be able to speak dog after this?

"She needs to learn a lesson. She wasn't punished enough last time." Aphrodite cross her arms over her chest defensively.

"...She was blind for a week."

"If she can't learn to appreciate appearances, then she shouldn't be able to enjoy them."

"Are you joking? This is over the top!"

"I don't think so. Have you ever had your hair criticized by a mere demigod?"

"Have you ever been a small furry animal? Because I have. It's traumatizing." Percy has bent down and gathered me into his arms. I'm small enough for him to hold with one arm.

"She doesn't seem too traumatized." Aphrodite points out sharply. I have to agree; although I'm terrified of staying a labradoodle forever, I'm not as scared as Percy is making it out to be. Maybe his experience was worse because he was locked in a cage with carrot-smelling pirate gerbils. Or maybe being a rodent just sucks more.

"Please?" Percy's eyes grow big and, dare I say, he uses his puppy dog face.

There's silence, and then suddenly Aphrodite groans, "Fine. You need my help, and I can't lie; You two are one of my favorite couples. So I'll assist you..."

There's a silence that I know will bear bad news, "But first you have to do something for me."

"Of course." Percy grumbles, looking down at me. He's begun petting me subconsciously, and I know it sounds awkward, but I can't help but wag my tail in glee.

"I need..." She pauses for effect, "Hairspray!"

My little puppy jaw drops open, and some weird sounds emerge from Percy's throat, "Hairspray? Really. You're the goddess of beauty and you can't make some hairspray appear."

"Only the immortal kind. That stuff leaves your hair like a rock," Aphrodite sighs, "I prefer Tresemme. Bring me a backpack full of hairspray, and I'll help you."

There's this silence afterwards that almost makes me laugh, but then I realize I can't. It comes out as a panting tongue and a perking of the ears.

"Um... Okay then. So can Annabeth come or...?" Percy sounds a little too confused. I'm worried he'll permanently damage his brain.

"Of course she can. But I'm not changing her back until I have a can of Tresemme in my clutches!" The goddess of love wrings her hands maliciously.

Percy snorts, "Okay then. Let's go get some hairspray."

The walk to the store is short, but we keep getting held up by little kids who want to pet the "wittle itsy bitsy puppy doggie". I don't mind at first, but when we've walked half a mile in fifteen minutes I begin to get impatient and bark viciously at anyone who glances my way.

"You're a mean little labradoodle." Percy chuckles down at me. I bare my fangs and give him a growl. "Who's an adorable little evil puppy? Annabeth is! Yes she is, yes she is!" He bends down and pats my head. I lunge for his wrist, but he's quicker than I am in this gloppy dog body.

In response he leads the rest of the way without saying a word.

The Quick-N-Go we plan to buy hairspray at seems sketchy and deserted, and I stop dead in my tracks before entering.

"It's alright. I know it looks freaky, but I've been coming here for years." Percy coaxes me in. It's really bugging me, not being able to talk. I don't like Percy being my only voice. I'm not the submissive type.

We quickly find what we're looking for and are just ready to pay when Percy stops. "Wait. I'll... Uh... Be right back. Not everyone can go wherever they want." He gives me a wink and trots off to the bathroom, laughing at his own joke.

I find myself sitting by the bathroom door, fighting the urge to chew on a can of hairspray. I watch as people pass the store, and try to enjoy my new super senses. I can hear the buzz of a fly on the other side of the store. I can smell the beef jerky that sits in a jar by the cash register. I can see the glint of a gun in the pocket of a man outside. These senses are outrageous.

Wait. My mind jumps back a few seconds and I'm on my feet, barking furiously just as the hooded man enters the store. He gives me a pitiful glance, ignoring the tiny labradoodle in the corner. Maybe that gives me an advantage...

I hear the creak of the bathroom door behind me and my heart leaps into my throat. If Percy comes out of the bathroom now, he'll get shot. I never got to ask him if the River Styx still affects his invincibility. But all I can do is hope that he still has one Achilles Heel as the bathroom door swings open and Percy stands over me.

The burglar is in the process of stuffing money into his pockets when he notices Percy. Then there's a gunshot, and I yelp.

The bullet hits Percy in the arm. He winces, but brushes of the pain and goes after the man who has begun to make a run for it.

I charge after them, my prancing steps ruining the adrenaline. Yet I'm faster than both of them; I overtake the burglar in seconds and, thinking quickly and slightly irrationally, freeze. His foot rams into my side, and I'm airborne for a second or two before falling back to the asphalt.

My plan works though, and the burglar lays sprawled out on the ground. He curses a few times at me, then Percy, then at the police that have finally shown up.

Percy runs over to me and picks me up, causing me to wail. My stomach feels like it's been plowed into by a bowling ball. "Sorry," he whispers, "But we have to get out of here." He jogs back over to the store, grabs the bag of hairspray, and begins the run home, every one of his footfalls sending another wave of pain through my midsection.

When we return to Percy's apartment Aphrodite is waiting. The moment we pass through the door I change back into real Annabeth, causing Percy to half-support half-drop me. I wince, gripping his bicep tightly.

"Who knew a trip to get hairspray could be so dangerous?" She says after assessing us both. Percy has a bruise the size of a dime where he was shot, but there's no blood. I let out a breath I didn't realize I was holding.

"Mnemosyne is in San Antonio. I'll be going now!" Aphrodite turns her back and is about to dissipate when Percy yells for her to stop.

"You can't leave Annabeth like this. It's your fault she's hurt." He gets an arm around me, and I find myself putting my full weight into his side.

"My fault? She was the one who ran after an armed robber."

"You know?" I sputter.

"Of course, I was there!"

"And you didn't help?"

"It was a quest, sweetie. I left the questing to you."

I straighten up, biting my tongue to cope with the searing pain in my side, "Look. Just use some of your sparkly magic and get out of here." I say, my eyes boring into hers. She looks stunned, which brings me both satisfaction and fear.

"Fine." There's a pop, and my ribs un-fracture. It's sharp and painful, but over quickly. I look over and see that the bruise on Percy's arm has vanished. Then I realize that Aphrodite has disappeared as well.

"She's finally gone." I sigh in relief.

"Too bad. You were an adorable puppy." Percy teases, poking me.

"Shut up Seaweed Brain," I slap his hand away, "And get in the truck. We're going to Texas."


	6. Chapter 6

**((A/N I severly apologize for the length of time it took to update. I'm in the process of moving houses, so if I don't post as often as usual, I promise it doesn't mean I've abandoned this story. But anyways, to reward your wait, here's some fluff! :) Review!))**

I wake up gasping and sputtering for air, heart wrenching and palms clammy. My fist closes around my shirt over my chest and I quickly steady myself.

"Zeus, Annabeth! What the heck?" Percy's voice is the thing that finally calms my frayed nerves.

"I-I... What…?" I blink slowly and sit up straight. We're still in the truck. I must have fallen asleep on Percy's shoulder.

"Bad dream?"

"I don't remember." I take a deep breath and stare out the window. The sky is pitch black, but the street we're on is well lit with colorful lights from windows of 24/7 bars and skyscrapers, "Where are we?"

"Tennessee. Nashville, actually." He yawns, and I feel immediate guilt for sleeping while he's been driving for fourteen hours straight.

"Hey. We should stop and get something to eat. You can get some sleep, too." I touch his arm gently. In the dim light I can see bags forming under his eyes. It's been a long day.

Yet he refuses. "No, we have to get to San Antonio."

"I'm serious, Percy. You're going to fall asleep and drive us off the road. What wrong could a little bite to eat do?"

He grits his teeth like he's going to fight back but then his shoulders slump and the truck pulls into the parking lot of a 24/7 McDonald's. It's not my ideal choice of food when I'm starving, but I guess it'll have to do. I have to regain some of my weight, anyways.

Percy pulls the keys out of the ignition, stuffs them in his pocket, and then shuffles out the door, landing hard on the wet asphalt.

"Did it rain?" I ask, pulling myself out from behind him.

"Poured. I can't believe you slept through that kind of storm." He yawns again, and I loop my arm around him in a kind of supportive friendly way. He gives me a tired smile and we enter the harshly lit restaurant together.

Now, if you've ever been to a McDonald's at three o'clock in the morning, you'll know that everyone seems either sketchy or insane. There's a group of girls about my age in the corner dressed in pajama pants and Uggs, scooping ice cream into their mouths. I'm guessing they're having a sleepover and decided to leave the house, but I wouldn't really know.

There's a big guy with a beard standing in the line to place an order, where a gothic guy stands behind the counter, impatiently tapping his fingers against the countertop. A small older woman works the kitchen. Other than this, the place is empty.

We take our place behind the big guy in line, and when it's our turn the Goth mutters a barely audible greeting. We order four cheeseburgers (three for Percy, one for me), a large fries, and two medium sodas. Then we take a seat on the opposite side of the restaurant from the laughing girls.

"I have to use the bathroom." Percy and I both say at the same time.

"You go first." He half-smiles, picking up a fry and chewing on the end. I leave for the bathroom, worry nagging in the back of my mind. Whenever we split up something bad always happens… And last time we were in Nashville, we were faced with a Hydra. I try to remember how many girls were sitting there.

When I can't recall the number I hurry as best as I can to use the toilet and wash my hands hastily. I almost stop to look at my reflection for a few seconds, realizing I look absolutely terrible, but my paranoia becomes too great and I practically sprint back to Percy.

"Miss me that much?" he chuckles, chowing on his second burger already.

"Just paranoid." I mutter, sliding into the seat across from him.

"Chill. There's nothing threatening here." He leans across the table and his voice lowers, "Although those girls keep looking at me like I'm candy. Do you find that threatening?"

I automatically feel heat rise to my face, although I'm not sure why. Percy's words rub me the wrong way, and I realize I do find that slightly threatening.

"Don't you have to pee?" I growl in reply. He leaves with a laugh.

I'm completely absorbed in my food and don't realize that one of the girls has walked over to me until she clears her throat. My heart skips a beat and I look up worriedly, studying her face. She's very pretty and intimidating, but nothing goddess-or-monster-like.

"Can I help you?" my voice is sharper than I'd intended and she gives me a grin with the same level of ferocity.

"He your boyfriend?" she motions towards the bathrooms with a snap of her neck.

"I guess… I mean no… Maybe?" I stutter. She's caught me off guard, which is pretty hard to do.

"You don't sound too sure." She practically sings, "Well, you should tell him that I have no plans tonight… and he's way too hot to be hanging around with you. You look like you just climbed out of a dumpster after ten years of hibernation."

"Look," Rage begins to bubble inside me and I stand, towering five inches over her, "I'm not in the mood for you right now. In fact, I'm not in the mood for anything right now, so if you'd just take a step back, that'd be fantastic."

"Oh, so you do have claws? I was starting to wonder. And I don't know what your big deal is, all I asked was if your friend was single or not."

"Well he's not!" I spit.

"You mean now that you're pissed?" she blinks up at me innocently.

"If you don't take a step back right now, I don't know if I can keep myself controlled," I warn.

"So now you're some kind of female Hulk?" she laughs, "Girls! Come here! This girl is hilarious!"

Two other girls come over and stand on either side of her. The one on her left doesn't intimidate me at all: short, blonde, and pudgy. The girl on her right, however, is an inch taller than me and looks like she's been in fist fights before.

"Back away." My fingers automatically inch towards the knife in my back pocket, but I realize that celestial bronze will do nothing to humans. Maybe I could scare them off… But not without getting the cops called on me.

"Annabeth?" Percy's voice says quietly from behind me, but I don't turn around. I'm too busy having a staring contest with the tall girl.

"Look girls, the dessert has arrived!" middle girl flaps her make-up caked eyelashes.

"I don't know honey, if you eat anything else you might not be able to squeeze your huge butt into those pants anymore." I mimic her voice, batting my eyelashes as well.

"Annabeth, what's going on?" Percy's hand guides my own away from the knife hilt I didn't realize I was gripping. I stuff it back into my pocket.

And then, just to piss her off I turn, smashing my lips onto Percy's. I catch him off guard, and the kiss is messy and awkward. Then, his lips begin to move in a way that is so familiar I don't even have to think, which catches _me_ off guard. Something inside me catches fire, and I find myself unable to pull my face away from his. His lips taste like saltwater taffy. He smells like a tropical beach. And all of the sudden he pulls away, his hands on my shoulders. His eyes bore into mine intently.

"This isn't right." He mutters. I want to scold him, but then I realize the girls had already left. How long were we kissing? Kissing… my eyes trail to his lips again. Best friends don't feel this kind of tension… I throw my hands in the air in frustration and storm out of the restaurant, Percy on my heels. I yank at the door handle, but before I can squeeze into the truck cab Percy's hand has shut the door again.

"Isn't that what you wanted? You want me as your girlfriend again, and then when I kiss you, you tell me it's not right." I fume, although the close proximity of his body to mine is making me shift uneasily.

"I meant you were only doing that to make a girl mad. I want you to remember why you like kissing me. I want you to want to kiss me." His eyes glimmer in the dim lights of the parking lot.

"It's your own fault. Those girls were looking at you like you were food."

"How is it my fault that you get jealous?"

"Maybe if you weren't so freaking attractive-" I stop mid-sentence, feeling heat rise to my cheeks, "I mean, if you weren't… ah…"

Percy's facial expression has completely changed. "You think I'm attractive?"

"Well, those girls though you were." I try to cover up my blunder.

"What do you think?" he asks, in a sort of seductive yet adorable way. How does he do that?

"I… I think… You're my best friend…" I stutter.

"Well if it counts for anything, I think you're beautiful," he says shyly, "Radiant, really."

"Did you use to tell me that a lot?" I bite my lip, holding back a grin.

"I use to call you everything from cute to sexy, Annabeth."

"Me? Are you joking?" I snort, looking down at my wrinkled outfit.

"That's what you said before. But I was able to convince you." He reaches out and brushes a strand of hair from my face, tucking it behind my ear. I swallow hard.

"H-How did you do that?" I can tell he wants to kiss me. I can tell he's holding back because he thinks it's not right. I can tell I want to kiss him so badly.

He half-smiles, his fingers lingering on my cheek, "Took you down to the beach. Had a lengthy discussion about self-confidence. I wish you would remember…"

"I hate to interrupt, but I have some bad news." The unexpected booming voice makes both Percy and I jump. He takes a step away from me, his face pinker than before. I'm wondering why when my vision adjusts to the dark light: Percy's dad stands about twenty feet away, arms crossed. "Annabeth, sweetie. The bad news is your mother."


	7. Chapter 7

**((A/N Who's up for a super long chapter? Here's Chapter 7 :) Tell me what you think!))**

I'm not positive as to why my mother always correlates to disheartening news. But for some unfortunate reason, this situation returns once again.

"So you're telling me that my own mother is out to get me?" I raise a half-believing eyebrow at the sea god sitting across from me. He's plunked down in a plush armchair, green eyes boring into my own. It's hard to maintain eye-contact with him, since he radiates intimidation like all Greek gods and goddesses do, but I manage.

He pushes himself up off the chair and comes to sit next to me on the edge of the bed. Poseidon got us a room in a nearby hotel (an expensive one at that), and although it took some persuasion, Percy finally agreed that one night of sleep wouldn't hurt our mission too badly. Now that he's spent the last half an hour in the shower, I'm pretty sure his reluctance is far from accurate. I'm extremely happy that I was nominated to take a quick rinse before him.

"Athena isn't one to have biases for her children. Every one of you is just another demigod to her," he pauses to lay a thick arm around my shoulders. I'm momentarily distracted by his smell; like Percy's sweet ocean scent but much, much stronger. It's almost dizzying.

It feels awkward, his arm around me. Like neither one of us really knows what we're doing. I know Poseidon hasn't had the chance to interact with teenagers much, and I rarely hang out with large, buff dudes. "I know my mother has very little compassion towards me, but I don't understand why she would actually try to hurt me…" I mumble, looking down at my hands.

"That would be my fault, in a way. Athena despises me, you know that, of course. And I don't have much of a liking for her either…" he bites his lip like he's said something that should offend me, "But I can easily tolerate you. I actually like you, really." He adds quickly, seeing my slightly offended expression.

"So she wants to stop me from seeing Mnemosyne just so that I won't remember dating Percy?" the words feel awkward in my mouth and I frown slightly. "But doesn't that also mean that Athena thinks Mnemosyne will help me? We weren't sure before. I mean, she took my memory away… what would she want in return?"

"That I'm not sure of…. but I do know that you and Percy will find a way. You always do," Poseidon chuckles, "And Annabeth." I look up at his gruffly handsome face that in so many ways resembles Percy's. There are crow's feet around his eyes, signifying many centuries of smiles. But he looks totally serious as he says, "No matter what Athena thinks about the two of you, just know that Percy deserves you. And you deserve him. Whether it be as best friends or more."

My heart aches when he says this, and as he dissolves with a flash I'm left to scramble for my medication bottle. I realize that I haven't swallowed my twice-a-day pills in twenty-four hours, and I panic slightly when I can't locate the container. I drop onto my knees and am digging through our belongings when Percy reenters the room. He's completely dry already, probably because he never really does get wet unless he wills himself to be. His eyes land on me and then scan the room for his father, who has already disappeared.

"Poseidon left?" his eyebrows knit together slightly.

"Like two seconds ago." I say distractedly, finding the bottle and spilling my dose onto my palm. I swallow it, and my head clears, my heart settles into its normal rhythm, and I can concentrate again.

"He didn't say goodbye?" he frowns, and I pull my lips into a tight line of pity.

"If it means anything, he didn't really say 'goodbye' to me either."

"Yeah. Okay." He says, and then he's jumping onto the bed, limbs flailing aimlessly, "So you wanna get a move on then?"

"What do you mean? You promised we could stay in Nashville for a night!" I remind him.

"Oh, right. Showers are as good as six hours of sleep to me." He looks as though he's contemplating something before a grin breaks across his face, "Well, it's only seven o'clock. Would you like to get something to eat that isn't drive-thru?"

My stomach rumbles loudly in response, and Percy laughs. "What did you have in mind?" I ask, running my fingers through my still-damp hair.

"Nothing. I had nothing in mind." His grin doesn't falter.

"Seaweed Brain," I sigh, "You never do."

"We could just walk around and see what sounds good?"

"Okay." My legs are beginning to feel cramped, after doing nothing for so long. A walk sounds amazing at the moment.

"Hey, Annabeth?" Percy mutters as we're exiting the room.

"Hm?"

"About last night…" he looks down at his feet.

"What about it?" I prod.

"I don't know. I just feel like something should be said about it." His voice has lowered almost to a whisper by the time we've gotten to the glass elevator that looks out over the city. We step on, press the button for the lobby (23 floors down), and look at each other awkwardly.

"Percy… let's wait until I get my memory back for stuff like this, okay?"

"Okay. It's just that- OH GODS!" he's interrupted by the smack of a bird's body against the glass window of the elevator. The sound made him jump behind me.

"Are you done using me as a shield against birds?" I sigh in exasperation, turning to look at him. He cowers still, eyes wide.

"You know, I never learned much about birds, but I don't think that's one of them." His hand is fumbling around in his pocket for Riptide, his pen-sword. I turn back to the window and realize that, indeed, the bird is not a bird. What was once a wingspan splattered against the glass has now transformed into the six-foot long arm span of a human being. Of course it's not really a person… No mortal I know can morph into an aviator. But it looks like a person.

"Percy! Cut a hole in the glass!" I'm screaming. My fist slams into the 'Emergency Stop' button on the elevator, because I know that if we reach the bottom, inertia would smack this guy right into the ground.

"What? You want to let him in here?" Percy's yelling above the ringing alarm of the elevator. Despite his questioning of my logic, he's listening; his sword has smashed a reasonably sized hole through the window. Wind whips through the elevator now, sending glass shards right towards my head. I bend down in defense, covering my face with my arms, but Percy has already stood directly in front of me, blocking me from the razor-sharp shards.

I duck out from behind him after they've all fallen to the ground, and reach out through the four-foot gaping hole of the glass. We're still twelve floors above the bustling street below, where nobody seems to notice our predicament. Hanging out the side makes me slightly nauseous, but I swing my arm over to help the man splattered against the window. Somehow he's suction cupped enough to the glass that he's not sliding off. He grabs my hand with his and I pull his heavy body over towards the hole.

Suddenly, his skin peels from the glass, and the only thing keeping him from slamming against the asphalt below is my hand in his. His body weight causes me to lurch forward, almost impaling my stomach against the rigid glass edges. I let out a scream and push my feet against the ground, giving me a little bit more traction. Percy has wrapped his arms around my waist and is helping me pull, but I realize too late that my arm is scraping against the same glass that would've cut my stomach open.

Pain courses up and down my arms. My vision swims. Warm, sticky blood runs from my cut forearms to my elbows. I give one last heave, stumble backwards, and then get smashed against the floor as the heavy man falls on top of me.

"Unghhhh." I moan, my voice muffled.

Percy pulls the bird-guy off of me, and then takes my shoulders and helps me up. When he spots the still flowing blood smeared across my arms and hands, his eyes light with fire and he turns to the stranger kneeling on the floor. "What the Hades are you, and what do you want? Because so help me, if you've come to kill us, I will slice your head off in milliseconds without hesitation. Actually, I'd quite enjoy that. Maybe I should just do it now." His voice makes me stammer back a few steps, full of more violent protection than I've ever heard. I reach forward and place a sticky hand on his shoulder.

"Don't. Listen to him." I croak, my throat raw from yelling. I keep my attention from my wounds, knowing that focusing on them would only make things worse.

"He's not saying anything!" Percy says, but ends abruptly as the man in the corner begins to speak.

"I am Tereus, a demigod like you." His voice is unnaturally loud, and although his name doesn't recall any memories of a mythological story, I know instantly that he is (or was) someone of high stature. He holds himself so upright that he seems uncomfortable. His dark hair and beard look clean, albeit wind-whipped. His deep brown eyes land on my arms, and I wince as if his vision touches me. "I know quite a bit about wounds. Before I continue explaining my presence here, I do believe you should stop the blood flow before this young lady loses consciousness." He says to Percy. Percy immediately looks down at me with worried eyes, and that's when I begin to feel woozy.

"Uh… He's right, Percy. We need to… glass… out…" my breathing is thin, but I refuse to let Percy carry me. This Tereus guy makes me want to impress him, not to look weak in front of him. So instead, Percy gets the elevator to take us back to our room, where I pull myself into the nearest chair.

"These cuts are quite deep, but I don't believe her veins or arteries were severed. Otherwise, she might have already bled to death." Tereus says quite enthusiastically.

"You… Ares?" I blink slowly up at him.

"I am not Ares! Goodness child, do I resemble Ares in any way? Of course I should, I am his son." He puffs his chest out proudly. I want to tell him that I meant to ask if he was a son of Ares in the first place, but I'm too dizzy.

And then, without notice, I'm wide awake again. I look down as water runs over the ribbon-like skin of my arms, repairing the cuts made by the glass, and picking the leftover crystals out of the mess. I instantly feel better, although the sight of this hydrokinetics freaks me out a little. "Thanks, Seaweed Brain."

Tereus turns his head sharply to Percy, "You have seaweed for a brain? How quite interesting! And how do your thoughts-"

"It's a nickname." Percy doesn't attempt to cover up the disgust he has for this man.

"Nick? I thought your name was Perseus. No matter, what I have come here for, Nick, is to deliver a message from my father. It seems that… I am sorry, what is your name darling?" Tereus babbles, catching me off guard.

"Me? Uh… A-"

"Mia! Fantastic. See here, Nick, that Mia's mother Athena and my father Ares are working to delay your arrival to… wherever you happen to be going. It seems my father despises you," he points to Percy, "And so does Mia's mother."

"Actually, my name is-" I begin.

"Shush, girl. My message is one of warning; I greatly advise that you heed it. Otherwise, I will have to kill you both." Tereus's expression doesn't change.

"Kill us? Wait, back up dude." Percy's subconscious reaction is to put himself in between me and Tereus.

"'Dude?' What is this 'dude'?"

"We've had too many people telling us that the gods and goddesses are trying to stop us from getting Annabeth's memory back."

"Who is Annabeth?" Tereus butts in, but Percy ignores him.

"And we're not listening to them, so you can tell your daddy to stick his advice up his-"

"Percy!" I hiss, close to his ear, "My mother, the goddess of strategy. His father, the god of war. This is going to be more difficult than we thought."

"Mia is correct! You cannot outwit them!" Tereus has drawn a three-foot long gold sword, "And it seems you are not wise enough to listen to my advice, Nick. Prepare to die, young demigods."

What happens next is a blur of sword-clanking, rolling on the ground, and not-so-kind words. Before I can even react, Percy has Tereus wrapped in a watery blanket, like a straitjacket. Then Tereus has broken free, his sword swinging inches from Percy's face. This particular actions whips me out of my stupor, and I lunge forward onto Tereus's back. My knife is in my back pocket, but I can't reach it without letting go of Tereus's neck, and I know the moment I do he'll whip around and stab me in the chest.

"Annabeth, let go of him!" Percy yells in frustration, his sword hilt hitting Tereus in the jaw.

"I would if I could!" I scream back, now holding onto Tereus for dear life. It's like riding a raging bull without footholds.

Tereus lets out a kind of guttural scream that I'm sure has to have gained attention from the people in the lobby twenty-three floors down. He lurches his body past Percy, and I realize he's heading straight for the window.

That's when it clicks. Tereus the Thracian king. He tried to kill his wife, and his wife's sister. The Olympians turned all three of them into birds. If Tereus can transform from bird to human, he can probably morph from human to bird…

"Percy!" I manage to yelp, right as Tereus's body smashes through the window. I don't get cut up by the glass this time, since most of my body is shielded by his, but then his body is shrinking, sprouting feathers, and then taking off from underneath me, wings spread. I hear Percy scream something, but I can't make it out.

This is when I begin my free-fall.

My voice seems to have left me, making sound impossible. Wind rushes through my ears and hair so fast that my eyes water. The ground below sprints toward me as I fall, and I brace myself for impact, an impact that will surely leave me dead.

And then I hit it.

The ground is softer than I imagined, furrier, smoother. My eyes flutter open, and all I see is black. Black… hair?

I am suddenly able to scream again, and scream I do as I realize I'm latched onto the side of Percy's Pegasus, Blackjack. We're soaring even higher than where I fell, above the skyscrapers of Nashville. It would be enjoyable, if his pelt wasn't so slippery. And if I didn't despise riding flying horses.

My clammy hands have trouble finding a hold on Blackjack, and I feel myself slipping off to one side. I'm nearly about to fall off him again when Blackjack shifts his body underneath me so that I'm propped up against his thick neck.

"Um… thank you." I'm not sure if he can understand me, but even if he doesn't, he snorts in response to my voice.

We lower in altitude until Blackjack lands on the roof of our hotel. I'm shaking violently as I set foot onto solid ground, and I jump when the roof access door bangs open. Percy's eyes meet mine. He looks blurry, and that's when I realize I'm close to crying. My body shakes like there's an earthquake.

Percy runs up to me and gathers me into a tight hug, muttering comforts close to my ear. I wipe my eyes and take a deep breath, which calms me slightly.

"Are you okay?" he asks quietly, holding me arm's length away to assess my physical health. I seem to pass his assessment, because he pulls me back into an embrace a few moments later.

"Yeah. Yeah, I'm okay," I say to reassure both Percy and myself, "I'm fine. But Percy?"

"Yes?"

"I'm still really hungry." I say sincerely, but he laughs when I say this. His laughter brings a smile to my face.

"Okay, Annabeth. What would you like?"

"Anything but chicken. I've had enough bird for today."


	8. Chapter 8

**((A/N Hey, sorry I haven't updated in a while guys. I have been the busiest and most stressed out I have ever been, so I apologize! I haven't abandoned this story, don't worry about that. It just might be a few days (or, ahem, weeks) between posts. I am so terribly sorry. But, enjoy this new post! Thanks so much! R&R :)))**

"Here!" Percy yells. I spin towards his voice, flinging a knife deep into the flesh of a nearby boar. My fingers are reloaded with another knife within milliseconds, but my eyes aren't as quick.

An owl the size of a car swoops down above my head, its talons scraping my scalp. It would have picked me up and carried me to my doom, but Riptide sinks into its stomach. It falls to the ground, and then turns to dust.

There's time for a quick 'thanks' before I'm being attacked once more, this time by another giant pig. It hits me in the side, and I fall to the ground before rolling and coming back up onto my feet. My blade severs its jugular.

"They aren't going to stop. We have to go." Percy's voice comes from somewhere in this sea of animals. I silently agree, spinning around to find him. When my eyes land on him I break into a sprint, not slowing down as I loop my arm around his. He's pulled off balance slightly, but he's able to stay up as he runs alongside me.

"This is… ridiculous… my mom… sucks." I pant, spotting our truck. I can hear the pounding of hooves behind us, and the beat of heavy wings in the sky, but I try to ignore them as I dive into the truck cab. Percy's body slams into mine, and there's a huge crash as tusks impale the door. They would have gone straight through Percy's leg if he wasn't, you know, invincible.

The truck stalls on the first turn of the key, but the second time it roars to life. It's rusty rumble is hardly audible over the sound of demon-animals outside. We lurch forward, the truck's wheels spinning on the asphalt.

As we pull out onto the road the boars fade back into the distance, but the owls are able to keep right up on our tail.

"We have to get away from them," Percy grunts, throwing his weight against the wheel so hard that I feel the tires on my side lift off the ground for a millisecond. I grip the dashboard for dear life.

"No, really? I thought we were going ninety-five miles an hour to have a friendly race." I say sarcastically, my nausea rising.

"How do we lose them?" he seems in no mood for my sarcasm, and I can't blame him.

I don't answer, though. Truthfully, I don't know where to go. The boars can get anywhere inside. The owls can get anywhere outside. I look over at Percy, studying his grim expression. His eyes don't leave the road, but he knows I'm watching him.

A scream escapes my lips as our truck gives a huge lurch. Too late I realize that two huge black owls have sunken their talons into the truck bed. With every flap of their wings the truck raises a few more inches.

"We have to get out!" Percy yells, his trembling fingers already fumbling with his door handle. It swings open just as another owl grabs the front bumper, swooping the truck thirty feet above the ground.

"I can't!" I scream, wind now whistling through the cab. Percy could jump, hit the ground, and walk away without a scratch. Me on the other hand… I don't really want to be an Annabeth pancake.

"I know…." Percy bites his bottom lip, thinking hard, "Maybe if-" he's cut off as the truck is dropped. My stomach feels as though it's squirming up to my throat, and my mouth opens in a silent scream. In the few seconds where we're airborne, Percy climbs over and pulls me in to his arms, wrapping me tightly inside of his chest.

Then we hit the ground.

The airbags go off, the truck leans to one side, and I black out.

I assume I come back into consciousness less than a minute later, since Percy is still in the process of trying to break the door off of the truck cab. Something looks funny though, and I have to steady my swimming head before I realize that the door is facing the sky, and I am lying on the opposite window which has smashed against the ground.

Percy looks down and sees that my eyes are open. His lips move, but I can't hear what he's saying. The only thing I hear is a dull ringing. I push myself into a sitting position, my whole body protesting little movements.

The door finally gives, and Percy climbs out. I force myself to stand, although my legs shake horribly. I crawl through the hole out into the cold air.

The owls and boars are nowhere in sight. Percy is trying desperately to get our truck upright again, but when he sees me he covers his face with his hands and sinks to the ground. I fall next to him, and when I say 'fall' I don't mean gracefully. I almost face-plant before I redirect my head to fall on Percy's shoulder.

The ringing in my ears slowly subsides, and when he talks I can make out what he's saying. I wish I wasn't able to hear again, though; most of it is sobbing profanity.

"It's okay." I wrap my arms around him, wincing as my left shoulder crackles, "We're okay."

"What kind of mother does that to her own kid?" his voice is dangerously quiet.

"Mine, apparently." I give a short laugh. My ribs feel bruised, but I don't let him notice how much I'm hurting. He's already shaking with rage.

"It's not funny." He wipes his face with his hands, "We need to get out of here. The police are going to show up soon." He stands and offers me a hand. I take it, ignoring the shooting pains throughout my body as I stand.

"Where to?" I grip his hand tightly, refusing to let go. He holds mine just as tight.

"Away from here. We need to get to somewhere near the ocean." He walks with purpose, although I doubt he knows where he's going.

"The ocean? We're hundreds of miles away!"

"I can get us to Florida in six hours."

"If we had a car, you mean?" I point out, stopping Percy dead in his tracks. At least I thought that's what stopped him; when I look ahead, though, I see the real reason for his sudden lack of movement.

"Do you know what that is?" Percy whispers, obviously awestruck.

"That would be a car." I swallow, my eyes still trailing.

"That, my dear, is an Aston Martin DBS. It is worth four of me." He takes a step forward, reaching out and stroking the black sleek paint.

I recognize the look in his eyes and grab his arm, "You're not."

"What?" his eyes don't leave the car.

"You are not stealing this car!" I say, stomping my foot.

"Shh! Don't yell that out loud!" he finally meets my eyes, "Besides, in this baby I can get us to the beach in half the time."

"And we'll get hunted down and arrested in half the time! I have this strange feeling that these cars aren't hard to track."

His face falls. "You're right."

"Thank you. Now let's go find an old piece of junk that no one will miss." I turn, strutting down the street in the opposite direction. I'm a quarter mile away before I realize Percy isn't following me. "Percy!" I turn on my heel, about to yell for him to get over himself. But he's bent over the hood of the car, so stiff I'm afraid Medusa has made an unfortunate appearance. I sprint back, worried. But when I reach his side once more he turns and looks at me, his eyes and mouth both open wide.

"Uh…?" I blink at him, weirded out. Then I realize there's a crumpled up piece of paper in his hands. I pry it loose, which is difficult against his tight grip. Percy seems to snap out of his stupor once the paper leaves his hand.

"Finally!" he yells suddenly, causing me to jump. "Yes! Yes! Finally! Thank you!"

I want to ask him what the Hades he means, but I realize that I won't get an intelligent response out of him for the next five minutes. So instead, I read the note:

To my dear friends Perseus Jackson and Annabeth Chase,

_I have recently become aware of a quest you two are currently working on. I've also been informed that the two of you are going against the will of two gods. So, I figured you could use some good luck. This is for you. The button on the passenger seat side enables an invisibility app. Drive responsibly and show Ares who's boss. Oh, Athena too._

_ -Hephaestus_

"Finally some good luck!" Percy literally dances around the car, spinning so quickly that he has to grip my shoulder to keep from falling once he stops.

"We'd better get going then." I grin, still sort of shaky from the crash. Once I'm in the two-seat sports car though, I feel fine. The interior is all black except for blue glow of the dashboard. Percy turns the radio on, and turns the volume up so high I'm worried we're waking up half of Nashville. I click the small blue button that reads 'INVSBLTY'. Then he revs the car to life, the purr of the engine putting a smile on both of our faces.

My face is soon a mask of terror though. Because, it seems Percy can drive a sports car no better than he can drive a truck. We speed so quickly that every streetlight is just a blur of light, as if we're warping through space. I don't know how Percy is able to see enough to avoid hitting anything, but once we're on the highway it's easier on my stomach.

"Onward, to Florida!" he screams over the music. He's grinning bigger than he has in a while. And somewhere, deep inside of me, some kind of recognition sparks. I almost don't realize it, because it's so small. But as the music pounds in my ears and the wind rushes through the window and through my hair, I feel a certain kind of happy that I just barely recognize; a happy that only Percy is able to cause.


	9. Chapter 9

**((A/N Yeah, this is a pretty short chapter... But it's super fluffy! :) I felt like being all mushy and googly today, and this chapter was the product. Happy reading :) R&R))**

Everything seems repetitive: the yellow streetlights overhead, the dotted white lines that zip past at an alarming rate, the green exit signs… And watching it makes my head roll around on my shoulders.

The fact that I've never driven a car before might be the reason I weave in and out of lanes (which doesn't really matter since it's three in the morning and no one is on the road), but mostly it's because of the hypnotic repetition outside the windshield.

I've tried to turn music on to keep myself awake, but with Percy sleeping in the passenger seat the loudest I can turn it up sounds like the soft hum of a lullaby.

Percy and I switched places about two hours back, when he was inches from sending the car over the edge of a bridge because he fell asleep. Luckily I felt the car jerk and woke up from my own slumber, having probably the quickest reaction time of my life in grabbing the wheel. This apparently proved my ability to handle this half a million dollar car.

By the signs that are placed over the interstate, I've concluded our position to be about thirty minutes from the bottom of Florida's panhandle, where land meets ocean. The blue glow of the clock on the dashboard is the only thing that's keeping me awake, since I am counting down the minutes until I can sleep.

I let my mind wander, since thinking is the best thing for me to do to stay awake.

I wonder how Chiron dealt with Percy and my extreme escape. I wonder if Argus is being punished for not keeping his truck out of the hands of campers. Is Grover worried about us? Have they sent out a search party to find us?

With this thought, I promise myself that as soon as I'm once again well-rested, I will Iris message Camp and tell them that we really are okay.

Percy shifts in the leather passenger seat, muttering something under his breath. I try to lean over and listen, curiosity ruling over my boredom.

His voice is low, but I can pick out certain words like 'spiders' and 'cake'. I shudder, and sit back up straight, wishing I'd minded my own business.

Not even two minutes later Percy stiffens and jerks straight up, hitting his head on the low ceiling. He sucks in a sharp breath and grips his seatbelt like a lifeline.

"You alright?" I raise an eyebrow, glancing over at him between watching the road.

"What? Right. Yeah." He sputters. I can practically hear his heartbeat through his rapid breathing. I take one hand off the wheel and reach over to take his hand, which instantly seems to calm him down a bit.

"What was it?" I ask, familiar with the nightmares that accompany being a demigod.

His face flushes, "Well, you had on a dress made of spider web," he stops abruptly, his cheeks burning pink.

"That's all?" I ask, although even the thought has made me shudder.

"They were still weaving it onto you. They were everywhere."

"That sounds like one of my dreams, not yours." I snort. I place both hands back on the wheel, my curiosity fulfilled.

"But what if it means something?" Percy stumbles over his words, still in a rush.

"Don't worry. I never wear dresses."

"It was a wedding dress," He swallows, "They were making a wedding dress."

I laugh once, "I'm seventeen."

"Yeah, well so am I." I don't understand why Percy thinks this is a sufficient comeback, but then I realize that he wasn't being sarcastic at all.

"We got married?" My hands turn clammy, and slip off the wheel for a few seconds.

"No, I woke up before-"

"We were going to be?" I cut him off, switching my main focus from the road to his face.

"Why does that matter?" he meets my eyes, his face red.

I can't find an answer to his question, so I just sit there and gape at him for a moment, jaw dropped.

"Forget it." Percy mumbles, crossing his arms over his chest and staring out his window.

"That's the problem," I mutter, "I did forget it. I forgot it all."

His five-year-old tantrum attitude dissipates and he uncrosses his arms. "I didn't mean that."

"Of course you didn't." I swallow the lump rising in my throat.

"I didn't. It's just so difficult having to start all over again with you. The first time, I had no idea why you even loved me. But you helped me see my qualities, good and bad. Now it's like you don't even see anything in me anymore."

"No," I shake my head, "I can see… why I liked... loved you."

"That is possibly the worst thing you could have said." He rubs his face with his hands, exasperated.

"What?" I ask, taken aback.

"Past tense. Liked. Loved. It breaks me, Annabeth. My lack of emotional control literally hurts me every time I'm around you now. It is so hard for me to sit here, pretending to just be your friend, when all I want to do is kiss you and hold you and take you home with me."

I choke on my words, "Do you not think I'm trying? I am trying to remember. Every time you open up your mouth to talk, I try to connect it to something. But it's like playing connect the dots with one dot. I can draw circles and circles, but nothing every connects! It frustrates me so much more than I let you know. I want to remember being in love with you more than anything, because I believe that we were in love." My last words ring out in silence, because both of us have nothing else to say.

I wouldn't call the air around us tense or awkward. More like both of us were continuing the conversation in our heads. Sure, my eyebrows didn't un-knit themselves until I pulled into a parking spot, shut the car off, and got out of the car; but that doesn't mean I was angry.

The soft crashing of waves can be heard from where I lean up against the car, hands gripping my head. It's extremely windy and dark; it must still be before four o'clock. My hair whips around me, but I ignore the way it gets in my eyes and mouth, as would usually drive me insane. My thoughts are running too fast. I hug myself against the slight chill that the wind brings.

It takes five minutes at least before Percy gets out of the car as well. I hear the door open and then slam shut, much harder than necessary. At first I think he's angry with me; then, when he comes around to my side I see his face, the way it's confused and thoughtful at the same time. He stares at me intently, his eyes not leaving mine until I look down at the ground.

"Bad: The way I can never eat too much." His voice startles me, since it's loud over the wind. "Good: The fact that you trust me more than anyone. Bad: I get jealous very easily." He's taking small steps forward with every check off his list, and I look up to find his eyes still on me. "Good: I am blunt. Bad: I have no musical talent whatsoever. Good: I understand that I'm not always right. Bad: I can be overprotective." He's within a foot of me now, his scent identical to that of the beach around us, "Good: I don't think I'm better than other people. Bad: I have a lack of self-control."

He leans forward, his face inches from mine, a small smirk replacing his excruciatingly serious composure, "And do you know what my favorite was?"

I swallow, my heart melting out of its confused callous, "What?"

"Good. I have a lack of self-control." He chuckles.

"I thought that was bad." I breathe, his face so close to mine that we no longer have to yell over the howling wind around us. Actually, it feels like we're in our own little bubble.

"It all depended on your mood." His hands grab mine. He wraps my own arms around his neck, and places his around my waist.

"What are you…?" I ask quietly, although I don't move away. Something about this feels right.

"I am ignoring self-control." Percy whispers, "But it's always been up to you whether that's good or bad."

When he kisses me, I feel the doubt I had built up around my emotions.

But when I ignore that doubt and kiss him back, all I can feel is perfection.


	10. Chapter 10

**((A/N Hey ya'll! Sorry I haven't updated in a while. Holidays and all. But here's what I've got written for Chapter 10! Not much action in this chapter, but this was necessary, so if you'll just stick with me I can promise next chapter will be action-packed :) Thanks for the reviews!))**

I wake up in an uncomfortable position, with my arms pinned underneath me, and gritty sand coating every bit of my exposed skin. I can even feel granules of it that somehow smuggled their way up into my shirt and pants.

I blink, running my tongue across the roof of my dry, salty mouth. The only worse feeling besides this is that of my hair, which I forgot to put up before falling asleep last night. It's everywhere; I can barely see through the curtain of frizzing ringlets in front of my face. I push them out of the way, and immediately regret it.

The sun is perfectly level with my eyes, hovering at its perfect peak. Noon.

I sit up, my stiff bones popping with every movement. My arms are especially sore.

Percy is face down in the sand about three feet away from me, sprawled out like the victim of a hit-and-run. He's fine though; the steady rise and fall of his shoulders assures that.

I snap a hair tie off of my wrist, where I keep four at all times. With hair like mine, these babies are as helpful as my knives in battle. And a battle it is as I wrestle it all into a bun near the top of my head and secure it with the band.

I stand and survey the tiny beach we're on.

For a moment it's hard to remember where we are. Then I recall the night before, when we arrived here in Florida.

Subconsciously, my fingers brush over my lips and neck, the electricity still present. These places where Percy's lips touched me feel tender, almost more breakable, than the rest of my body.

I stare down at the imprint of my body that has been molded into the sandy ground. We chose to sleep here, at the beach, instead of spending money on a hotel; plus we were… er… preoccupied enough to not really care. Percy suggested the car, but the chairs wouldn't lean back far enough for comfort. And so we walked down to this beach, where the cool wind felt so good against the humidity and the sound of waves beating on the shore were so soothing that we kind of just dozed off.

I think the adventure of it was fun. My hair might disagree.

I glance back at the unconscious Percy before deciding to go find breakfast (or lunch, whatever). I pull on my socks and shoes, which I'd kicked off before falling asleep. Then I make the short hike back up to the parking lot.

The number of cars astounds me, since we arrived in pure emptiness. Now, every spot is filled with some vehicle or another. Two motorcycles are parked next to our car, where I shuffle through the backpack we'd filled with snacks on the drive down. My hands close around two packs of miniature blueberry muffins.

"Hey doll, sweet ride!"

I jump, bumping my head against the roof of the car. Angrily, I slam the door and glance up to see who is bothering me now. I have to do a double take.

"Awe, don't tell me you've forgotten who I am! You haven't hit your head again have-" Grover is cut off by a hand over his mouth. He's shrugged off to the right, beyond my vision, considering I seem to be looking at a translucent movie screen about the size of myself.

Chiron appears in the Iris message and I wince, aware of our lack of communication since Percy and I broke our way out of camp without permission. He doesn't seem to be angry, which frightens me.

"Annabeth. Thank Zeus, I've been trying to get through to you for so long. Every time I'd message, you were asleep."

"Or not." I hear Grover chuckle from off screen, which confuses me.

"What does he mean?" I ask Chiron, but he doesn't seem to hear me.

"I'm so glad you've succeeded on your quest. We're preparing a welcome home feast, if you would be back by tomorrow at five." Chiron strokes his beard, looking smug.

"Succeeded? What? We haven't even seen Mnemosyne yet." I raise an eyebrow as invisible Grover bursts into victorious laughter.

Chiron is clearly confused for a few moments, but then he clears his throat, and reaches out of my view before flicking a golden drachma at Grover.

"We shook on two." Grover calls gleefully, but I've already begun talking.

"Please explain what the Hades is going on." my voice is demanding, which I find surprising considering I'm talking to the man in charge of dozens of demigods.

"Well… I tried reaching you extremely late last night… or rather extremely early this morning… And I seemed to have chosen the wrong time because you were having a… er… moment with Percy." I feel myself turn red, but Chiron isn't finished, "So I assumed you'd regained your memory and that's why-"

"That's why I bet him two drachmas that you hadn't even reached Texas yet and that you just fell in love all over again. Do I know my two best friends or what?" Grover butts in, grinning wildly.

"What-" I clear my throat, "Did you see exactly?"

"Just some kissing. Nothing I haven't seen before," he grunts, "Of course you wouldn't remember when you and Percy snuck into-"

"Annabeth, this message is urgent business." Chiron cuts Grover off again, "You've severely offended a number of gods, did you know that?"

"Yeah, Ares and Athena are pissed."

"Not just them. Look, I just wanted to tell you to hurry up and find Mnemosyne. This Iris message is almost out of time." He clears his throat, "Oh, one more thing…"

"TWINKIES!" Grover screams at the top of his lungs, just as the message disappears.

I slam my fist into my thigh in anger. What was the other thing Chiron needed to tell me? What the Hades is wrong with Grover's brain?

In defeat, I return to the beach where Percy stands, arms crossed, looking out at the ocean.

"Afternoon, Seaweed Brain." I toss a pack of muffins at his back, and he turns and catches them with the agility I've familiarized myself with.

"Thanks." He half-smiles when our eyes meet. Instead of ripping his pack open right away like I did, he walks over to me and tosses his on the ground. Then he takes mine from my hands and sets it down on the ground as well.

"Excuse you!" I snort, bending down to retrieve my food. My stomach growls in protest as Percy grabs my shoulder to stop me.

"Sorry. Would you just come here a second?" he raises a dark eyebrow, and I immediately forget the once painful hunger in my gut.

He takes me by the shoulder and leads me to where he was standing before, so that I'm looking out over the sparkling water. Then his hands drop from my shoulders to my hips, where he holds me as he steps up behind me.

"What-"

"Shhh!" he whispers close to my ear, "I want to try something."

Something keeps me frozen in my spot as he presses his soft lips to the groove of my neck. Immediately my heart rate speeds up, faster than the Aston Martin in the parking lot. I feel as though I'm being pumped full of adrenaline. And then, the feeling is gone. His lips have removed themselves from my skin.

"What was that?" I turn to look at him, trying not to blush.

"I was controlling your blood." His lips twitch.

"Excuse me?"

"I was thinking, you know, blood is like seventy percent water. I wanted to see if I could do it. Did you feel anything?"

"Only like I was going to have a heart-attack." I clutch at my chest for effect before returning to my muffins.

"Can I ask you something?" he sits down next to me as I stuff a muffin in my mouth.

I look at him in answer, mouth full.

He laughs lightly, "After last night, I'm confused as to whether or not I can give you a good morning… or afternoon kiss."

I suddenly find it hard to swallow the sticky muffin. I choke as I swallow it, coughing into my hand.

"Or, you know, I could just give you CPR." He chuckles, his hand on my back.

"I don't-" I cough once more, "I don't know."

"Well, would you be offended if I kissed you right now?" his voice is quiet. I find myself searching his face, wondering how on Earth he could look so good after sleeping outside.

"No." the word is barely past my lips before he has cupped my face in his hands and brought his lips to mine in a quick peck. He pulls away after a fraction of a second, which leaves me with a surprising feeling of emptiness.

"Is that okay?" he asks softly, his thumbs caressing my cheeks.

"No." I nearly whisper. His face falls, as do his hands. I quickly add, "That wasn't enough."

His gorgeous smile returns, and he leans into me again, kissing me softly. I surprise myself, as well as Percy himself, as I kiss him back passionately, my hands running through his hair. He responds to my roughness with a passion of his own, his arms pulling me closer.

I pull back after a few moments, remembering. "Chiron called. We have to go."

Percy groans and rolls his head back on his shoulders, "Five minutes? You couldn't have waited five minutes."

I find myself standing, and helping Percy up as well.

"Stop sulking. Grover says hi, by the way." I say, which accomplishes my goal of bringing a smile to Percy's face.

"You talked to him? How's he doing?" he asks, shoving a muffin into his mouth.

"Well, he's two drachmas richer." I burst into laughter.

Percy looks at me like I'm crazy, which I have recently begun to doubt as invalid.


	11. Chapter 11

**((A/N Sorry for the delay guys. Lots going on, especially with getting back to school. To make up for it, here's a looong chapter :) Tell me what you think!))**

We drive until our stomachs rumble for something more than small, dinky gas station snacks. We make a small stop at a humble little town on the coast of Louisiana, grab a bite to eat, and leave the citizens gaping at the two teenagers driving away in a quarter-of-a-million dollar car. Percy finds this a little bit more hilarious than necessary, but I guess it's thrilling for him to feel rich. He's never had too much money.

My family, what with my father being a college professor and inventor, is pretty well off. Which is good for them. They don't send me money, and I don't need it. A hundred dollar bill isn't worth anything at camp.

Percy drives along, constantly weaving in and out of traffic at ninety miles an hour. I remind him many times that I'm not invincible like him, but that only brings us down to eighty-five. I don't put too much pressure on him though; he looks like he's having a blast, finally well-rested and full of good food.

We make it from Pensacola to San Antonia in six hours, which is about two hours less than what I'd planned.

Out of the tinted window, everything looks dark, even though its only seven o'clock. When Percy parks at a nearby mall and I step out of the car, however, the sunset is blinding. It casts an orange tint over everything.

"Why'd you bring us here?" I ask, shielding my eyes as I survey the area. The mall is packed; our spot, the only empty one in the lot, is at least half a mile from the front doors. I can see the heat waves over the cracking asphalt. I become immediately aware of my clothes clinging to my body, and frown.

"I didn't know where else to go. Erato just said 'San Antonio'." Percy squints against the sun as well.

"I just assumed she would be at the Alamo." My frown deepens.

"Well, why?"

"Gods like regal places. Titans… I would have thought that they would like even bigger and better. Of course, the Alamo isn't that big of a building, only 1,001.02 square feet, it just has a highly appreciated historical imprint, and wonderfully defensive architecture suitable for protection during the Texas Revolution…"

"You're babbling." Percy interrupts, smirking.

"Sorry," I bite my lip and look at the ground, thinking hard.

"It's hotter than the Underworld out here." Percy wraps his arm around my shoulders and begins to steer us towards the mall.

"Wait," I stop, feet planted to the ground.

When I offer no further explanation for my sudden halt, Percy asks, "Wait for what?"

"Percy, who was the only one who knew where Mnemosyne was other than Erato?" I ask, beginning to get excited.

"Uh…. I think Aphrodite…. right?"

"Yes!" I jump up and down, and then grab his hand and begin pulling him towards the mall.

"What! Annabeth! Geez, slow down!" He calls, tripping after me as I sprint towards the front doors. He's slowing me down, so I let go of his hand and run the rest of the way, not stopping my run until I've entered the first store open: Macy's.

"Hey! Hi. Um, do you have Wi-Fi?" I pant, addressing a startled looking saleswoman.

"Yes, of course." She raises a gray eyebrow and looks me over, "Are you alright?"

"Oh, I'm perfect!" I grin at her, sure I look like a maniac, "Do you by chance have a computer I can use for, like, one minute?"

"I'm sorry, computers aren't for customer use." She now looks worried. I'm afraid she's going to call security if I don't settle down, so I take a deep breath.

"There you are!" Percy sighs, coming up behind me and putting a hand on my shoulder, "What are you thinking?"

"I think I know where she is." I turn to say over my shoulder, "But this lady won't let me use her computer to check really quickly."

"Look, children, I have a job to do." The lady grits her teeth, her jaw tightening.

"This is an emergency." I bounce on my toes.

"Then call 911." She smirks, turning back to her work.

"You rude, incompetent, selfish-" I begin to yell.

"Annabeth!" Percy cuts me off, grabbing my wrist and leading me towards a corner. I become aware of almost every eye in the store trained on us. "Could you please just settle down a little bit?"

"Sorry. I'm sorry. It's just, we're so close, I got excited, that's all." I meet his eyes, taking deep breaths in through my nose.

"Well, where do you think she is?" his eyebrows raise.

"I'm not positive, but when I realized that Aphrodite knew her position, I remembered something. The San Antonio Art Museum routinely puts up an Aphrodite exhibit in the Greco-Roman wing. If I know the goddess of beauty, I'm positive that she loves basking in attention, and would have visited the exhibit at least once. It's like a shrine to her. She must have met Mnemosyne there…. I mean, that's the only way she would've known."

It takes a few seconds for Percy to process, but then his eyes widen. "Gods, Annabeth, you're brilliant."

"Why, thank you." I grin.

"How do you know about the exhibit anyways?"

"Well, I was researching modern architectural oddities, and saw an article on the fact that the museum is located in an old brewery, with a four-story high catwalk for public use, and it interested me, so I looked into the museum a bit more."

"That's quite the coincidence." He looks impressed.

"Yeah, I know, but now I have to check and see when the last time the exhibit was up…" I trail off when I see two heavy-set female security guards talking intently with the saleswoman I had bothered. She points at me, and whispers frantically. "Seaweed Brain, we have to go."

"What? Go?" he shakes his head in surprise.

"Now!" I hiss, gripping his wrist and dragging him behind me as I weave in and out of aisles. We're almost out the front door when another security guard steps in our way.

"Excuse me, kids. You've been causing a disturbance." Her voice sends chills up my spine, and the way Percy tightens his grip on my fingers makes me realize he knows something is about to go wrong.

"No, really, we're on our way." I say innocently.

"Yeah, she just had too many energy drinks. Been cooped up in a car all day. Not a good mix." Percy jumps in.

"Oh? Where have you come from?" the security woman asks, eyebrows raised.

"New Yor-" I jab Percy hard in the ribs, "Ow! Oh, um… New Mexico."

"You were about to said New York." Her eyes slim.

"No, no. See, people from New Mexico call the state… New Yor-xico." Percy's lack of ability to think on his feet has never been more embarrassing.

"I see. Well, either way, we're going to have to take you in for questioning." She reaches forward and, before I can even react, has snapped handcuffs around my wrists. This sends Percy over the edge.

He hits the lady in the jaw with his fist, and then reaches for Riptide. By the time the sword has grown to full size, the guard has disappeared, her empty uniform in piles upon the ground.

"What the…?"

"Percy! DUCK!" I ram into his side, throwing us both to the ground just as razor sharp claws skim over our heads. As the now half-woman, half-bird swoops down to claw at us again, Percy rolls over me, his impermeable skin protecting us both for the time being.

"Get up!" I nudge him with my shoulder, trying desperately to gain my balance. Everything is harder when your hands are bound together.

Percy stands and then helps me up, keeping an arm around my waist as we look around us. The harpy seems to have gone missing.

We spin in a slow circle, taking in everything; most of the customers and employees that were in the store when we began screaming have left, most likely terrified out of their wits.

"She's gone?" Percy mumbles.

"Oh, Tartarus." I groan, my eyes resting upon two more empty mall security uniforms, bunched up where the guards once stood, "There are three, Percy."

"Three? What do you mean?"

"They're waiting." I scan the ceiling.

"Smart girl." A thick ugly voice calls from the second floor, "Now see if you can figure out what to do."

All at once, a flurry of feathers and screams erupts from every side, all three of the harpies shooting towards us simultaneously.

Fully relying on my ADHD, I reach up just as the first one shoots towards my face. Its lips open wide, it crashes into the chain of my handcuffs, throwing me backwards but causing it to scream in pain. When I see her again, she has a bloody line identical to the Joker's running up from the corners of her mouth, giving her a false smile.

"Who's next? The Penguin? Two-Face?" I call out, smirking to myself.

"Oh, darling, I'm not done yet." The injured harpy calls out, plummeting towards me again. In panic, I attempt to do the same thing as before, but this time the harpy is ready. She lunges up at the last second, her talons wrapping around my handcuffs. She lifts up, causing my full weight to be supported by the cuffs, which dig into my wrists.

She flaps her wings, and I'm held beneath her as she flies away from Percy, up to the second floor.

I know she's about to drop me when she looks down and smiles. That's when I swing myself up, wrapping my legs around her neck and using my full weight to throw her beneath me.

Her wings caught upside down, we begin the thirty foot free-fall, which really only takes two seconds. In that amount of time, I struggle to position her under me, in a way that will cause maximum damage to her while causing the minimal to myself.

Her body slams into the glass display case first, and then I follow, feet pushing against her back, handcuffs around her neck. Right on final impact I push up with my feet, pulling backwards with the chain.

I crumple as I hit the ground, but when I see the stump where the harpy's head should be, I'm ultimately gleeful. I ignore the awkward way my ankle is twisted, since I've had much worse injuries, and stand just as the monster bursts into golden dust.

A smile plays on my lips until I hear him.

"Annabeth!" his voice is frantic, and I quickly hobble towards where the harpy first kidnapped me.

He's still fighting one of them, although another's ashes is blowing away right as I get there. When he sees me he smiles, his hysterics apparently originating from worry for me, not himself.

I don't try to help him. He's handling it just fine from what I can see; plus, the fact that he's in the mattress section makes it look kind of fun.

As the harpy dives at him, he drops onto the mattress, bouncing on his back and landing once more on his feet. He hops in place, using the bed as a trampoline.

The next time the harpy shoots towards him, he flips so fluidly that, if he told a stranger he was professionally trained in acrobatics, they probably wouldn't question him. In mid-air, upside down, he slashes out and cuts the bird-woman in half.

I rush towards him as he lands on his feet, and he holds his arms open wide. I don't embrace him, though; instead, I grab his bicep and drag him out the door, hurrying along until we get to the car.

"Get in." I say once Percy has opened his door but refuses to sit.

"I'm not going anywhere until you give me a victory hug." He smirks, opening his arms again.

I kick him in the chest, which sends him sprawling into the car. I slam the door behind him, slip in the other side, and give him a kiss on the cheek.

"I'll give you the biggest hug you've ever had once I get over this amnesia."

He seems to consider it for a moment. Then a gorgeous grin splits across his face. "Deal."


	12. Chapter 12

**((A/N Enjoy this extra-long chapter :) R&R!))**

"Just hold still!" Percy grunts as I nearly kick him in the face.

"You're bending it wrong!" I grimace, knuckles white as I grip the car seat.

"No, I'm not."

"So now you're a licensed nurse." I say through gritted teeth. Percy begins looping the bandage around my foot, which began throbbing after we left the mall.

"No. I'm just really clumsy."

"What does that have to do with anything?"

"I've sprained my ankle so many times, I could wrap one in my sleep." I can hear the slight annoyance in his voice, which makes me even more annoyed myself.

"I've trained at the infirmary at Camp for seven years."

"You mean that place where nectar and ambrosia fix everything."

"Seriously? Do you really think-?"

"Please!" he says sharply and loudly, enough to make me jump, "Would you please just trust me? I'm doing everything I can to make you feel better."

I don't reply. He's made me feel guilty, and I know that the guilt isn't wrongly placed.

At my silence, he nods in appreciation, and goes back to wrapping. After another minute, he stands, throws the rest of the bandages into the back of the car, and helps me up. I miss his hand once it has removed itself from my waist, which tells me that I wasn't really mad at him. Just tired and waiting for this whole thing to be over.

"I'm sorry," I mumble as I hobble towards the San Antonio Art Museum, Percy one step ahead.

"It's alright."

"No, it's not. I'm being moody." I sigh.

Percy stops and turns towards me, his face puckered like he'd licked a lemon, "Yeah. Me too."

"It's just so hot out here, and I'm tired and hungry, and I kind of feel like digging a hole and burying myself in it." I wipe my forehead.

He mumbles something like, 'I'm happy Anne made varsity', but that makes no sense.

"What?"

"It's our one year anniversary today." He looks up at the blue sky, squinting hard.

All I can think to say is, "Oh." Because even daughters of Athena have moments where they have no idea what to do.

"I got you something. But I left it at camp. I was hoping we'd be back by now." He still looks skyward.

"That's alright. You can give it to me when I give you my present." It slips out before I even know what I'm saying.

"You mean when you get me a present." He corrects, finally looking at me.

"No. I mean I bought you a present two weeks ago." The words come spilling out.

"What? How do you know that?" his eyes are boring into mine, and mine are staring back.

"I don't know how I know, I just know."

"Do you remember what it is?"

"Are you trying to ruin the surprise, or-"

"Annabeth!" he interrupts excitedly.

"No. I don't remember what it is."

"Really?" his face screws itself up, and he goes rigid for a moment, "I'm sorry, who are you?"

"What?" I ask, completely caught off guard.

"I mean… I know you're Annabeth. Annabeth Chase." He covers his face in his hands for a second, "Oh gods, this is weird."

I don't know what he's talking about, and I'm about to reach out and touch his shoulder, but my fingers freeze inches away. Confusion seeps into mind.

This isn't New York. I think to myself, Where the heck am I?

"San Antonio." I say out loud, answering myself.

"What?" it's Percy's turn to look confused.

I shake my head vigorously, until I'm dizzy. "Mnemosyne is close. I think her presence is messing with us."

"Who?" His green eyes slim, "Oh, right. We'd better go."

"Go where?" I know the answer. I just can't seem to find it in the muddling of my brain.

"Inside." Percy offers my his hand. I take it, squeezing his fingers gratefully.

"Just don't let go. And focus," I tell him, "If you forget something, just look at me." I give him this advice, because staring straight into his eyes completely clears my mind. I hope it works mutually.

"Right." He stares back, a small smile on his perfect lips.

We begin the march (or hobble, rather) towards the door. When the doors open, air conditioning blasts me in the face, making me shiver. Percy's hand tightens on mine.

We're in a gift shop. I don't stop to look at the inventory, but it's all very colorful. I march right up to the cashier, dragging Percy behind me. He's getting a little distracted by the many shiny things in the store.

"Howdy! What can I do you for?" an old man asks from behind the register. He has barely any hair on the top of his head, but such a thick mustache I can't see his lips. This would normally set me on guard, but I figured that no monster would ever have a job at the living place of a Titaness.

"Um…" I pound my brain, trying to remember, "Oh! Okay, so, I was wondering if the Aphrodite exhibit is currently here?"

"Not here," he says with a long drawl. My heart drops into my stomach.

"You're kidding me."

"No! It ain't here. It's up two floors, in the West wing." He chuckles loudly.

"Annabeth, look!" Percy puts his unoccupied hand on my shoulder, but I shrug it off, ignoring him.

"So you're telling me that the Aphrodite exhibit is in this building."

"In the other building. See, what you gotta do is take this elevator here up to the fourth floor, and then follow the signs that say 'West Wing'. Go over the catwalk… hope you're not afraid of heights… and then take that elevator down one floor. You'll find it from there, easy."

"Thanks!" I say, turning on my heel and taking off. Or I would've taken off if Percy hadn't been anchored to the spot.

"Percy!" I stumble back to him, slamming into his arm. He doesn't seem to notice. "What the…?"

He looks down at me, "Aphrodite is a bully."

"Excuse me?"

"Look!" he points to a display case on the wall, featuring many intricately hand-painted porcelain china plates. I don't see what he means at first, but then I catch sight of it.

"That's mature." I say, my eyes skimming over the plate that has a picture of Percy on it, a small dog in his arms… that small dog being me. The plate beside it has one simple painting: A Tresemme shampoo bottle.

"You really made a cute puppy." Percy pokes my side.

"And you made an adorable guinea pig." I return, bumping his hip with mine, "Now let's go."

I lead him to the elevators in the back of the gift shop, all the while thinking how it's possible that mortals don't see shampoo painted on ancient dining-ware.

Now let me just say this now: I hate elevators. Nothing good ever happens to them. The last time I was in one, I ended up saving a guy who tried to throw me out of a window. Remember that? Plus, horror movies always have them break down. Also, being a couple of fairly powerful demigods, I assumed we'd have been attacked more frequently since the mall incident.

Subconsciously, I rub my wrists, which ache with bruises from the handcuffs Percy had to slice off.

As we step into the elevator, a slim, good looking girl squeezes in beside me. She presses the button for the third floor as I reach to press the number four.

It may have just been paranoia, but my instincts took over, and I studied her out of my peripheral vision. She had long, wavy blonde hair and big brown eyes accented with make-up. She reeked of Chanel or Gucci, or whichever of those brand names makes really freaking strong perfume. She wore seven inch heels, a hot pink blazer, and pants so tight I winced just looking at them.

She got off on the third floor, not even glancing behind as she strutted deeper into the museum.

"What's wrong?" Percy asks from beside me, his voice making me jump.

"Huh?" I shake my head, trying to clear it.

"You're all tensed up," he says, "And I think you're cutting off circulation to my fingers."

I apologize quietly, letting go of his hand, "Just on guard."

He nods, like he knows what I mean, although he looks pretty laid back himself. His smugness makes me grind my teeth in frustration. I reach behind him and put my finger on his Achilles spot, making him jump. "Zeus, Annabeth! You know I hate that."

"That was the point," I smirk, exiting the elevator as the doors slide open.

I lead the way, since I can handle dyslexia a little better. A few times I think a sign says 'stew' instead of west, but I eventually find myself opening the door to the catwalk.

Outside is hot and humid compared to inside's air conditioning. The catwalk is four stories up from the ground below, which is kind of unnerving, and the grated metal floor doesn't help much. But this is nothing compared to what I've faced before. This catwalk looks like a piece of cake.

Well, at least it looked like a piece of cake before the empousai showed up.

There were two of them, both materializing by bursting into flames on either side of Percy and I. One blocked the door from which we came, the other blocking our goal.

"This is great." I throw my hands in the air in frustration, "We're literally feet from Mnemosyne, and you demons have to show up. Who sent you anyways? Athena and Ares don't have control over you."

"You just smelled so good… it's hard to resist." The one closest to me hisses.

"Oh, thanks. My cologne consists of dirt, sweat, and possibly a splash of blood." Percy joins in sarcastically. I see the glint of Riptide, but I don't take the chance of looking away from the empousa in front of me.

"What are your names, so that I don't have to call you girls Ugly One and Two?" I reach for my own knife, gripping the hilt in my hand.

"Ugly? _You _call _us_ ugly?" Percy's empousa seethes, "We've seduced dozens of heroes, girl. They don't fall in love with us for our so-called wit." That last part is directed towards me, although it doesn't hurt. It kind of just pisses me off more.

"We are Mina and Laurie." the other hisses.

"You take Mina. I've got Laurie." Percy whispers to me. He then screams, "NOW!"

His signal seems to apply to the empousai as well, since Mina lunges at the same time I do. Her nails (er… claws?) scratch at my face, but I somersault between her legs, careful not to roll underneath the safety railing and plummet to my death. I spin, still crouched, and attempt to knock Mina off of her feet, but she just jumps and hisses, her flaming hair rising a few inches.

I go for a direct attack, aiming my blade for her gut. She dives backwards, the tip of my knife just slicing open her dress. "That was Vera Wang!" she screeches, her eyes flashing dangerously. I dodge another one of her attacks, glancing over in Percy's direction to see how his fight is going.

I smile in delight as Anaklusmos slices through Laurie's midsection, cutting her in half and turning her into dust.

My smile is brief, however, since Mina takes my distraction as a chance to sink her teeth deep into the flesh of my shoulder. I scream, jerking my body backwards and trying to slam her into the ground. She lets go of me and cartwheels backwards.

"Annabeth!" Percy charges Mina, stepping over me as I drag myself back into a standing position. He slashes with his sword, but with unbelievable speed Mina grabs his arms and pushes them downward. Riptide cuts through the metal floor of the catwalk, and all I can do is watch as Percy's weight rips a hole in the metal mesh. He free-falls fifty feet, and slams into the asphalt face-down.

Now, this would have killed me. In fact, it would probably kill Mina. But Percy happens to have the curse of Achilles, so even though I can't contain the blood-curdling scream bubbling up inside of me, I know he's alive. Still, it's comforting when he groans a few unclean phrases from the ground.

"Styx!" Mina curses, "Why isn't he dead?"

"I've been asking myself that same question for years." I squirm to my feet, "We always seem to weasel our way out of problems like this."

My shoulder is covered in blood, rendering my right arm useless. I can feel the blood running down my arm, to my elbow, wrist, and fingertips.

Mina smiles, "I'm guessing, however, that _you_ are not invincible."

I shrug with my good shoulder, "Maybe not. But that just makes killing you more gratifying." I hope I sound cocky and strong, because honestly, I'm losing strength fast. I feel dizzy and exhausted.

Percy stirs from the ground, stands, squints up at Mina and I, and then sprints inside, probably to try and rescue me again. Even though I know it doesn't do damage, I don't want him being thrown off the catwalk again, and so I choose to hurry up and kill this she-devil.

With my less graceful left hand, I begin stabbing at the empousa, who flips and dodges fluidly. She swipes at me a few more times, but I'm able to stagger backwards in time.

I'm extremely careful not to get near the hole Percy made, although that seems to be what Mina is trying to get me to do. She retreats backwards towards it, and then waits until I charge.

I decide to try something so completely risky and dangerous, I think my ADHD literally takes over my mind. As Mina retreats, I do just what she wants; I charge. Before she can dodge, I wrap my arms around her neck, using my momentum to carry me over the chasm Percy made. I twist my entire body mid-jump, and let Mina slip through my hands. She begins to fall, and I hit the other side of the hole, barely able to scramble back onto solid metal.

Then I'm being dragged towards the hole, Mina's hand with a vise grip on my ankle. I quickly, in panic, lunge out with my knife, stabbing her in the eye. She screams, releases me, and plummets to the ground below, turning to dust as she hits the parking lot.

"Perfect timing," I say sarcastically as Percy bursts back onto the catwalk, sword ready.

"Are you alright?" he hops over the hole and tucks his sword-pen back into his pocket, offering me a hand. I take it, with my left hand, of course.

"Um… I'll be fine." I say, looking down at my shoulder. My shirt has four holes in it where her teeth ripped through, each one opening up to reveal bloody puncture wounds.

"Here." Percy unzips the backpack and pulls out a large bandage, a small square of ambrosia, and a sling. I let him apply the bandage, since I can't really. Then I eat the ambrosia, which takes away some of the pain. I wave away the sling, since the ambrosia has my arm numbed.

"Great anniversary so far, don't you think?" I smile at him, and he gives a half-hearted one back.


	13. Chapter 13

**((A/N Pretty short chapter, but I wanted to update asap :) Tell me what you think! _ALSO! In the last chapter, I accidentally said that it was Percy and Annabeth's one year anniversary. Really, it's only their six month. Sorry about that, I didn't catch it until after I updated_.))**

"The San Antonio Art Museum will be closing in ten minutes. Please begin making your way towards the exit. Thank you for visiting today, and we hope to see you soon!" The static-y voice of the announcer blares through the speakers.

"Ten minutes?" Percy calls, looking up at me from across the room where he's kneeling next to a jewelry case.

"I guess so. You haven't found anything yet?" I ask, circling a statue of Aphrodite. We've been searching for something to trigger Mnemosyne's presence for an hour, but no luck.

"Nothing." He calls. We're on opposite sides of the empty room, yelling, which probably is the reason the room is empty. When we first got here, there were two dozen people milling around. We may have scared them off.

I give an unsatisfied grunt and bend down to study the base of the statue for the seventh time.

"Do we come back tomorrow?" Percy calls loudly.

"No! We don't have time." I spout back. I don't know why I'm in such a hurry. Excitement, I guess.

I stand and go to examine a few paintings on the walls, each depicting Aphrodite (inaccurately, I might add) with a different mortal man. None of them gives any sign of the titaness of memory.

Percy gives up his rummaging and strides over to me, eyebrows raised. "So if we're not coming back tomorrow, then what?"

"We have to stay here past closing time." I shrug, giving him the obvious answer.

"Seriously? What are we going to do, hide in the bathroom?"

"You don't have to stay."

"You're kidding me, right? Of course I have to stay. I just think it'll be hard, since only one of us has a cap of invisibility." He stares pointedly.

"Right. Well then, I'll use the cap, knock out the security guard, and we're good to go." I nod in agreement with myself. Percy looks unconvinced, but he doesn't protest.

"Five minutes until closing. If you have not yet vacated, we ask you to please do that now." The announcer blares.

I push Percy towards the bathrooms.

The women's is closer, so I try to lead him into it, but he freezes. "I am not going in there."

"You're kidding." I snort in disbelief. He shakes his head, a small pout on his face. "Fine."

We both enter the men's room (which I don't recommend, by the way), and Percy picks the stall farthest away from the entrance. He steps onto the toilet seat so that his feet aren't visible from underneath the stall door after I close it.

"I cannot believe-" he stops when the lights flicker off, leaving us in complete darkness. I slap my Yankees cap on anyways.

"Be right back." I whisper, tiptoeing towards the bathroom door.

"Be careful." Percy mutters back, although he doesn't sound overjoyed.

I try and avoid squeaking my sneakers on the tile floor, although it doesn't really matter, since the bathroom door squeaks loudly as I open it. I wince at the loudness of the sound, slipping out against the wall and slinking down the hallway.

The whole museum has its lights turned off, although moonlight spills through the windows, washing over display cases with an eerie bluish glow. I'm halfway across the room when the security system kicks in.

I always assumed that those red laser beams shooting across a room to stop intruders were myths, less real than Greek gods. Like they were made up, to scare thieves out of robbing high-end places. But when a single beam of red light shoots two centimeters in front of my face, I panic. A lot.

I scramble backwards, somehow landing in a crabwalk, my feet and palms planted firmly on the ground, my butt hovering over another red line. I curse under my breath, wondering whether the lasers would be able to see me when I'm invisible. I don't really want to find out.

The jingle of keys alerts me to a security guard strolling through the hallway outside of this exhibit. I stay as still as possible, breathing quietly through my mouth. He doesn't even glace my way.

Until my shoulder gives.

See, when a quarter of your weight is balanced on a useless limb, it's not going to last long. I fall, passing through a red laser beam on my way down.

The whole room washes itself in red as alarms go off. They're not extremely loud, but they sure do freak me out. I scramble onto my feet, ignoring the other lasers, and stand, making sure I'm still invisible. When one, two, and then three security guards appear, I stay frozen, waiting.

"You're sure it was here?" a gruff African-American man asks.

"That's what the system said. Keep a lookout." Another balding guy orders.

I grope for the nearest accessible heavy item, and my fingers close around a metal vase. I lift it, praying to my mother and Zeus that the guards don't notice the floating urn.

I then charge, smashing the vase into one man's face, knocking him out cold, and then slamming another in the gut, hard enough to slam him into the wall. He slumps to the ground, unconscious.

The third man is quicker. He reaches out towards me, his hand closing around my injured shoulder. I yelp, which makes his eyes widen. Of course he's worried; he's fighting an invisible girl.

I bring my knee up, hard, hitting him in the groin. He curls up on the ground, not even fighting as I knock him out with a kick.

Yes, I feel bad for beating up innocent mortals. But I figure, they'll be fine, and I seriously need my memory back.

"Annabeth!" Percy calls from pretty far away. Probably still in the bathroom.

"I'm fine." I call back, setting the vase back on its pedestal. He rushes out, his eyebrows scrunched together, scanning the room. I realize my cap is still on, so I stuff it back in my pocket.

"Subtle." He winks at me, smirking.

"Shut up, Seaweed Brain. Help me shut this thing off." I say, nodding towards the alarm system.

"No problem." He uncaps Riptide and slices through the speaker. Everything goes back to being quiet. "Now what?"

"Why is it so impossible to get sleep around here?" her loud, husky, booming voice fills the air, making me jump. "I mean, honestly, all the traffic during the day, and then this at night? How rude!"

It's dark still, so I have to squint to find her in the room. Then I see; a woman in a shimmering silver toga sits in a nearby chair, her head in her hands.

"M&M?" Percy whispers from beside me. I elbow him in the ribs.

"Lady Mnemosyne." I give a small curtsy.

"Yes, yes, what do you want Annabeth Chase?" the titaness waves her hand. She pinches the bridge of her nose, like our presence is giving her a headache.

"I… Well, I want my memories back." I swallow the lump in my throat.

"Of course you do. That is not what I meant." Her piercing eyes glare at me, "I mean what do you want from me, child?"

"My… memory…" it comes out as a squeak, not very confident.

"Oh!" she laughs thickly, "Oh, you believe that I'll return your memories to you? Silly girl, why would I do that? I stole them for a reason. Your memories in particular are quite enjoyable." She waves a hand in front of her, and suddenly I'm looking at Percy and I sitting on the beach. I feel present-tense Percy tense beside me, and I know this is one of the lost memories.

Then Mnemosyne waves her hand again, and it's gone. I reach out, as if to grasp the place where it was, but nothing is there.

"I love your memories. They're beautiful. Passionate. There isn't enough passion in the world these days." She sighs.

"Wait, you're not giving them back?" Percy asks, stupefied.

"Well of course not. Like I said, I took them for a reason," the titaness grumbles, "You demigods are so thick nowadays."

"I'm a daughter of Athena." I say, taken aback, "I am not thick."

"Maybe not with ignorance." Mnemosyne shrugs simply, as if this clears everything up.

"There has to be something we can exchange her memories for." Percy takes a step forward. I can tell he's getting angry.

For a brief moment, Mnemosyne's eyes flash with longing. Then the light fades, and she grimaces, "No, hero. There is nothing."

"There is!" I burst out, "You were thinking of something you want just now! We can get it for you!"

Mnemosyne cocks her head to the side, "You do not know what I want. It is impossible to get one in this day."

"I can do it!" I nearly shout.

"We. We can do it." Percy mutters from beside me.

Mnemosyne studies us for what seems like ages. Then she leans forward, "Here's the deal. I like your fire. I'll give you back your memory… If you bring what I most desire."

"Hah! You rhymed." Percy chuckles stupidly.

"Of course. My daughters didn't get their poetry talents from their father."

"What is it that you desire?" I butt in impatiently.

"It's golden, and can no longer be acquired," Mnemosyne hums dreamily, "So sweetly perfect, yet the world had it fired."

"How are we supposed to get something that can't be gotten?" Percy scratches his head.

But Mnemosyne's words have triggered something in the back of my mind. Something Grover yelled at me, not even a week ago. I know what it is she wants. "Really? You're immortal, and you want that."

"Yes, child. And I would advise you not to mock me, but you seem smart enough to know that already." Mnemosyne glares.

"Annabeth, what are you talking about?" Percy asks, confused.

"We'll be back soon." I nod towards the titaness, grabbing Percy's wrist and dragging him towards the exit.

"What… where are we going?" Percy scrambles after me.

I grumble, "It seems that, in return for my memory, M&M wants a Twinkie."


	14. Chapter 14

**((A/N I was in a fluffy mood, and this was the product. Action to come :)))**

We check Walgreens, because they're the only ones open at this time of night, but all of their Hostess products were recalled months ago. So instead of going on a goose chase throughout the night, we decide to spend all the mortal money we have left on a motel room.

The moment Percy opens the door, I push past him and fling myself onto the bed, burying under the covers, crying "SLEEP!"

Percy laughs, "I guess I'll take first watch then."

I peek out from underneath my blanket burrow. "Really?"

"What?" he asks, smirking at me.

"I don't think we have to keep watch. I mean, just lock the door. A monster will make a lot of noise trying to get through. Enough to wake us up, at least."

"I don't know. I'm a pretty heavy sleeper." He jokes.

"Oh, come on, we both need rest."

He yawns in reply, which pretty much settles the debate.

"So where are we going to find this long-lost pastry product?" he asks, clicking the lock on the door shut and closing the curtains. I watch him, my head propped up on my arm.

"I don't really know. But there has to be one in San Antonio, I mean, if we ask around, there's got to be somebody willing to give us one."

"What do we say? 'Hey, we're in desperate need of a Twinkie. It's kind of a life or death situation, so if you could lend one to us unsupervised children, we'd be mighty thankful'." He uses a bad Texan accent, but I don't smile.

"Well, if there's one thing I do know, it's that you and I can do the impossible." I say.

"We've only done it twenty times before," he winks, flicks the lights off, and walks across the room. It kind of catches me off guard when he slips under the covers next to me, but I bite my tongue before protesting. It doesn't seem scandalous; it actually feels sweet. And when he drapes an arm over me and begins to snore, it feels so routinely comfortable that I get the feeling he's done it before.

I fall asleep as soon as my eyes close. Then comes one of those pesky demigod dreams.

I'm in the world's biggest spider web. I know because I literally can't see an end to it in any way I look. This alone would have been scary enough, but that's when I see the subjects of my dream.

I automatically freeze in place, my eyes set upon the largest spider I've ever seen. It's easily the size of a school bus, black, hairy, and disgusting. Plus it's making some hissing sound that kind of sounds like the Greek language, but nothing I can decipher.

"Do we have a deal?" this voice makes me more afraid than even the spider had. In fact, I almost pass out; if you can do that while already being unconscious.

I can't make out the spiders reply, but it bobs up and down, likes it's nodding.

"Good. But remember what I said about…. Wait. She's here."

As if sensing me as well, the spider turns its numerous watery eyes towards me and begins to crawl forward. All I can do is squeeze my eyes shut and chant _Wake up, wake up, wake up! _In my head.

And I do wake up, with the picture of the spider imprinted in my mind and the haunting voice of Athena ringing in my ears.

It's not a graceful awakening; in fact, I scream, cry, and accidentally punch a freaking-out Percy in the face. Not that it hurt him. Actually, it hurt my hand probably more than it hurt his face.

"Whoa! It's alright!" he tries to calm me down, and eventually, after he's pulled me into his arms and began stroking my hair, I do calm a little.

"I-I'm sorry." I choke on my words, my throat completely dry.

"Don't apologize. What happened?" he asks. So I tell him about how my mother made a promise with a giant spider (I begin to tear up again around this point) pertaining to me.

He stays quiet for a while, just holding me. Then he mutters, "That's terrible."

"She wouldn't do something like this unless she was completely serious." I say back, pulling myself together.

"I know," he sighs, "We gotta keep it together though, Wise Girl. This can all be over by the end of the day, if all goes well."

"Percy, when has anything gone well in our lives?" I say, frustrated.

"Well. I fell in love with you. That was pretty nice." He half-smiles, blood rushing towards his face. I find it adorable when he blushes.

Okay. I know it's completely strange timing, and both of our emotions are rollercoaster-ing out of control, but I can't help myself from leaning forward and kissing him in that moment. If I hadn't kissed him, I think I would have exploded.

We just kind of kiss there for a while, enjoying our time together, without any monsters or distractions. I focus all of my energy on him, all of my thoughts on him, and that completely calms me down. More than any medication ever could.

I realize then that I haven't taken any pills in days. Yet my hands don't shake, my knees don't feel wobbly, and my head doesn't pound. Like I've cured myself. Like I've found new stability.

I lean in closer to Percy and tangle my fingers in his hair, and he places his hands around my waist and pulls me impossibly nearer. We fall back onto the bed, and my hands are just tugging Percy's shirt up when there are three knocks on the door. "Housekeeping!"

I pull away from Percy, my eyebrows knit together. "What time is it?"

"Huh-wha…?" Percy asks, slightly dazed. I glance up at the clock, which reads eight A.M. Even though my dream felt short, I guess I'd actually slept all throughout the night.

I climb off the bed and open the door just enough to peek out at the small maid outside. She grins at me, "I'll come back later?"

"Yes, we'll be out of here in an hour. Thank you." I close and lock the door again before rummaging through the backpack with all of our stuff in it. I grab my extra pair of clothes and retreat to the bathroom, where I take a shower and get ready for the day.

Percy uses the bathroom after me, and while he's showering off, I flip on the TV.

The local news station is filling San Antonio in on how the Museum of Art will be closed today for repair of the catwalk. They blame the Percy-size hole in the metal grate on a meteorite, which I guess explains the Percy-size dent in the parking lot as well. Apparently, the police think that some crazy UFO-obsessed guy saw the 'meteorite' fall and came and picked it up before the scene was discovered. I don't really watch the details, because then they started questioning the security guards, who claim to have been knocked out by an invisible alien.

Instead, I pull out Daedalus' laptop and begin rummaging through the files, refreshing my mind with ideas I'd come up with over the past few months. I surf the laptop for about ten minutes, until something distracts me. Right in front of my nose, a spider swings down from the ceiling, suspended by its silk.

I literally flip out, dumping the laptop on the floor and scrambling backward into the headboard, knees to my nose, screaming.

Now, I'd have to remember this method for later on in life, because my screaming sends Percy scrambling out of the bathroom with nothing but a towel around his waist. And suddenly, the spider is forgotten.

See, I haven't any memories of Percy shirtless after he turned sixteen. But holy Zeus, I wish I did. Seriously, I feel like being the son of Poseidon naturally entitles him to a perfect tan, which perfectly highlight his perfect six pack. It takes everything in me not to let my jaw drop.

"What's wrong?" he asks, scanning the room, Riptide drawn in his hands.

"Uhhh…" I literally have to shake my head, "Spider. There was a spider."

"Where?" This is what I love about Percy. He doesn't laugh when I say I screamed bloody murder because I saw a baby arachnid. Instead, he looks as if he'll slice it in half for scaring me. Oh, and I also love his abs. Have I mentioned his abs?

I point to where the spider hangs, and Percy purses his lips. Then he drops his sword, picks up the nearest magazine, and crushes the spider between two pages.

He then proceeds to chop the magazine to pieces, retreat to the bathroom, and flush the pages down the toilet before coming back out to me.

"It won't bother you again." He chuckles, kissing my forehead and then leaving to finish his shower. And, despite my lack of memory, I find myself falling in love with Percy Jackson all over again.


	15. Chapter 15

**((A/N Cool fact about this chapter: If you were to post every chapter of this story on a Word Doc, this would reach page 50. Haha, besides that, give me feedback about what you think will happen next!))**

Percy had the bright idea to stand at the corner of a big intersection with a cardboard sign that said 'Will work for Twinkie'.

"Why not?" He asked.

I couldn't decide which of the many things I thought at that moment I should say to him, so I kept my mouth shut. I then used my handy dandy Daughter-of-the-Wisdom-Goddess skills to access wifi at a local coffee shop, where Percy now sits across from me with a latte in his hands as I type away on my laptop.

"What are you searching for again?" He asks. I can feel his eyes on me, but I don't look up from the screen. He's been staring at me for, like two hours now. It's kind of making me self-conscious.

"Hostess factories. I mean, they only shut down a few months ago. I seriously doubt they just set all of the extra Twinkies on fire or something."

"Oh gods that would be terrible."

"Absolutely. We would never get my memory back."

"And it's such a waste of Twinkies!" He exclaims. I glance up at him from over the computer, eyebrows raised. He adds, "But mostly your memory."

While I continue to search, he finishes his coffee. When he sets down the empty cup, something registers in the back of my mind. "How'd you even pay for that? We're out of cash."

He shrugs, "I was reading the menu, and the… what do you call coffee-professionals again?"

"Barista." I offer.

"Yeah, the barista girl just handed me one." He shrugs again, tossing the empty cup into the trash bin.

"And you drank it?"

"Well, yeah."

"A stranger handed you a six dollar cup of coffee and you didn't question it."

"You're too paranoid."

"You're too imprudent!"

"What does that even mean?" he grumbles, "She wasn't a monster anyways."

"So why did she give you –"

"Maybe she thought I was cute." He cuts me off, "Besides, if it were poisoned, I'd be long gone, so just let it go and accept the fact that humans can do nice things for one another!"

I'm about to snap back at him, but then something on my screen catches my eye.

"There's an old factory about an hour away."

"I'll drive," Percy smirks, "You navigate."

"What's so funny?" I ask, stuffing the laptop into my backpack and slinging it over my good shoulder. My empousa bitten right shoulder refuses to begin healing, even if I stuff ambrosia down my throat. I've come to the conclusion that there was some sort of unnatural venom in her saliva, but I'm scared to tell Percy. Him trying to find me help would delay our mission.

Percy ignores my question, and exits the coffee shop, causing a little bell to ring above the door. He holds it open for me, and I thank him quietly.

The car ride isn't eventful. We just drive, windows down, Percy singing off key to the radio. I find it scary that he knows every word to every Taylor Swift song that comes on, but I don't mention it.

We finally make it to the wire fence that surrounds the factory. Percy pulls off onto the side of the road and parks, but neither of us get out of the car.

My hesitation is due to the fact that the building seems to be moving. Its walls swim, like the air sometimes does above asphalt on a hot day. The only problem is, the building is shaded by trees, and it's really only seventy degrees out today. Something is wrong.

At first, I think I'm hallucinating. Maybe the empousa venom, or whatever it is, has reached my brain already. But then Percy says, "Do you see them?"

"You mean the walls?" I whisper back.

"We have to get away from here. Now." He shifts the car into reverse and swings us around.

"What? What are you talking about? Go back. Percy. PERSEUS JACKSON. _WAIT_." I resort to screaming. He gives in and slows down, glancing in the rearview mirror before coming to a stop.

"Annabeth, we have to go. I promised." He grits his teeth.

"Promised what? What are you talking about?" I repeat.

"You really didn't notice?" he looks down at me, eyes ablaze.

"Notice _what?"_

"That entire building was covered in spiders." He hisses. I tense up, realizing that the walls weren't moving, they were just coated in tiny crawling demons. Suddenly I feel itchy, and I run my fingers through my hair, unable to keep the image out of my mind.

"But that's our only chance." I swallow hard.

"No it's not. Like you said before, someone in town must have a box of Twinkies. We don't need to go back there." He studies my face intently. I know that if I give him a hint at how terrified I am, he'll speed away from our best chance at getting my memory back.

"We do. My mother won't stop unless you take me back." I dig my nails into the palms of my hands.

"What are you talking about?"

"The only way to show Athena how much I want to be with you." I say, reaching over and laying my hand on top of his.

"We're going in there?" he scrunches his eyebrows together and grips my hand.

"No. _I'm_ going in there. You're going to stay-"

"No!"

"Out here and keep watch." I continue, ignoring his interjection, "I'll be fine."

"Are you kidding me? Fine? Annabeth, this morning you almost passed out from one spider. There are thousands in there." His words send a shudder through my body, which is enough to make him begin to accelerate away again.

"Stop!" I say, yanking my hand away from his and grabbing the wheel. I jerk the wheel towards me, and Percy has to slam on the brakes to keep from hitting a tree. While we're stopped, and before Percy can begin to move the car again, I throw my door open and jump out. I land on my feet, but the impact sends shooting pain down my injured arm, and I fall to my knees, grimacing.

"Annabeth! What the Hades?" Percy yells from his side of the car. He's apparently put it in park and gotten out.

"You weren't listening. I had to do something." I yell back, scrambling to my feet. I turn away from the car and begin to stomp towards the building again, before I lose my nerve.

"Stop! Wait!" I hear him break into a run, and turn towards him.

"You don't get it. I have to do this." I say, choking on my words. Percy stops a few feet away, his expression a mixture of confusion, worry, and anger.

"Why? You don't have to prove anything to your mom. She doesn't deserve your attention anyway."

"I have to do it for you, Percy. And for me." I can feel my eyes watering, but I blink any tears down.

"No you don't! We can leave right now. We can drive back to Camp if you want. You don't have to do this, Annabeth." His voice rises in desperation.

"I'll be fine," I say, reassuring myself more than anything.

"You're already not fine."

"Even if my mother hates you, she won't kill me." I say, slightly distant. My mind is planning out scenarios.

"That's not your mother in there. Those are spiders. They _will_ kill you."

"Not under my mother's instruction." I say, almost sure of it.

"But what if they do?" Percy asks, now frantic. I study him; his face, his shoulders, his chest. Everything about him is perfect to me.

"I'd rather die than not remember you." Once those words leave my lips, I know that they're true. Before Percy I used to wake up and train and train and train. Nothing else. Just training. Having him in my life gives me a purpose, and as we've established already, I like having a purpose.

"Then I'll help you remember. I'll tell you stories. We can reenact every memory you've lost…" he comes towards me and pulls me towards him. I bury my face in his neck and take deep, shuddering breaths, his scent calming me down a little.

"If I don't do this, Athena will never stop."

"If you _do_ this, you'll be traumatized."

"Maybe," I swallow, reaching up and kissing him on the cheek, "But it'll be worth it."

I untangle myself from him and take a step back, breathing deeply.

"Be careful." His bottom lip trembles slightly, and that single movement breaks my heart.

"I will." I say, taking a step away. And another. Every step further brings a whole new wave of terror. About ten steps later, I look back over my shoulder. "I am in love with you, Seaweed Brain." The words tumble out before I can stop myself, but I don't regret saying them. I don't even blush.

"I am in love with you too, Wise Girl. Come back to me." He smiles weakly.

"Promise." I smile back. The moment I turn away again, though, the smile wipes itself away.

For the first time in a long time, I'm alone.


	16. Chapter 16

**((A/N Here's 16! I'm super excited for the next chapter... anyone else? :)))**

If you thought that, being a pastry factory, this Hostess building would be cheery and fun, you are so wrong. Every wall is a bleak grayish color, and the doors are heavy rusted metal.

The moment I take my first step over the threshold, I'll be honest, I was expecting to be swarmed in spiders. I truthfully was afraid of drowning in these things. But, for some odd reason, they parted wherever I stepped; none even touched me.

I don't want to make it sound like I was being super brave either; like, 'Oh, she just strolled in and looked around'. No. I had enough trouble forcing myself through the metal gate entrance. Now I'm shaking worse than ever.

My hand grips my knife hilt, but there's nothing in need of a good stabbing just yet. Just spiders. So many spiders. I can handle it if I don't focus on a certain arachnid at one point in time. Just keep moving forward, and don't look at the ground. They ignore me, which I thank Zeus for, but I don't let my guard down.

I slip through another door, leading to yet another room. Every new passage leads to an almost identical one, which doesn't help my sanity level. With every step, I'm scared I'll get ever more lost in here.

I scan every room for boxes of what could be Twinkies, but nothing fits, so I just keep walking deeper into the factory. I push open a door, and find myself face-to-face with a spider the size of a penny, dangling from the ceiling. I scream and stumble backwards, landing on my butt. Before I can even get a grip, I shake my arms vigorously, unable to stop myself from making weird, terrified noises. Then I realize that before I landed, the arachnids dodged me, and I hadn't even touched one. I take a deep, shaky breath and push myself back onto my feet.

Just because the tiny hanging spider pissed me off, I slice my knife swiftly, cutting it in half.

This was my mistake.

The moment I kill the one spider, thousands of others freeze, leaving the entire factory in complete silence. My heart beats a mile a minute. And then they begin their frenzy.

I almost pass out when I see them all swarm in my direction, each making some strange hissing sound. I don't realize it, but I've begun to fabricate escape plans in my head. Yet each and every one of them ends in a possibly fatal chink. I have milliseconds to move before they begin climbing up my shoes, and so I do the first thing I can think of: I full-on sprint through the nearest door.

For some reason, this room has no spiders in it, or at least it didn't before I opened the door. Now they scuttle past my shoes, some of the latching on to my laces before I can stomp them off.

I scan the room rapidly, trying to find a way to escape. If I climb to the roof, the spiders can reach me. If I lock myself in the room, they'll come through the air vents and underneath the door. Spiders can search high and low. What can stop them?

Then I see it.

It's fifty feet away, five feet wide probably ten feet deep, and filled with water. Spiders can't swim.

In the few moments that I've halted to search the room, a dozen spiders have begun crawling up my sneakers. One of them reaches my ankle and I scream again and again as it sinks its tiny fangs into me. And then I run.

I don't really know how I'm able to stay upright as I sprint to the vat and pull myself up the ladder. All I know is that I can only hope the water wasn't, like, mixed with acid, or boiling hot before I plunge into it. And plunge I do.

The water is room temperature, thank gods, and it feels normal enough, so I open my eyes as I sink to the bottom of the vat, and look up.

My heart leaps as I see the spiders, crawling around the rim, unable to fall into the water without drowning. For a split second, I'm elated. Then I realize that I'm running out of air.

The feeling of not being able to breathe terrifies me almost worse than the spiders. My lungs pound, my head spins, but the worst of all is, I know what it feels like to drown. I refuse to do it again. I squeeze my eyes shut and push off of the bottom of the tank, surging towards the top. When my head breaks the surface, I sputter, splash, and breathe as deeply as I can. The only thing I find myself able to think is, I wish Percy were here, now. He would have this under control. He could just drown them all. Me, on the other hand… I don't have a superpower. My brain isn't going to kill these things.

For a minute, I think of how Percy might break in at any moment and save the day. But then a spider lowers itself a centimeter from my nose, and I dive back underneath the water.

_You can't get dependent, Annabeth. The best thing about you is your independence, I tell myself, You can get out of this. You can get out of anything, remember?_

Now, this may sound weird, but talking to myself helps. Like, a lot. It gives me ideas.

I think hard, and finally an idea pops into my head. It's not fool-proof, but I'm not a fool, so I think it'll give me a pretty good chance at getting out. The only problem is, I'm still empty-handed. I need a stupid Twinkie.

_UGHHH._

I scream underwater, which really just exhausts my lungs. But the reason that I (attempt a) scream, is that the voice in my head is no longer mine.

_I have to do everything, don't I? It's a husky female. Mnemosyne is in my head._

_ What? You do everything?_ I can't keep my temper from flaring up.

_ Yes, me. Alright, you're about twenty feet to the right of a box of Hostess products that were never shipped. Just hurry up, child. I'm starving._

Before I can think up a witty retort, I realize that my chest is once again pounding for oxygen, and I decide to go for it.

I swim to the bottom and plunge my knife deep into the metal, slicing through it. Then I twist the blade and create a gaping hole out of which the water begins pouring out.

I quickly swim to the top and splash water over the edge to clear it of spiders. Then I grip the edge and swing myself up, grimacing in pain when I put weight on my injured shoulder.

My plan seems to be going well, until I slip off of the edge and fall ten feet onto the concrete, landing not-so-perfectly on my left shoulder. I cry out in pain, sure this time that I've at least dislocated it, possibly broken it. But I have to hurry, because as the water sloshes out the door and down the hall, it only holds the spiders aside for a few moments.

The room, flooded moments ago, is now left in puddles, which I am careful to step in as I drag myself over to where Mnemosyne said the Twinkies were. There is, in fact, a box there, with a colorful stamp on the side marked "Hostess".

I stab my knife into the wood and pull out a handful of plastic-wrapped treats. I have nowhere to stuff them, so I just grip them in my good hand as I begin the sprint towards the exit.

The spiders still hang from the ceiling and dangle in my way, but I've realized that if I spit on them (yes, gross, I know) they fall to the ground. Don't judge my methods. I just know that it works.

So I scramble through door after door, each room with less spiders than the last. I feel sort of victorious, even though each step sends a painful jolt through my arm. But even that pain can't dampen the feeling of breaking out of the building into the open air and sunshine,

Well, at least I feel good until I hear, "Put your hands where I can see them!"

I freeze, finally letting my eyes adjust to the scene in front of me.

Red and blue flashing lights swirl around me, three cop cars blockading the exit to the factory. My heart stops when I see Percy, staring at me with wide eyes through the back window of the nearest car. He mouths, "mortals" and I swallow hard. I can't fight mortals.

"I said put your hands up!" an officer yells at me. He's pointing a gun at my head, which kind of makes me mad and scared at the same time.

I drop the other Twinkies and raise my right hand to shoulder-height, but my left appendage refuses to move.

"Other hand!" the cop orders.

"I can't." I say back, agitated.

"Whaddaya mean, you can't?" Another cop asks. He's closer to me. I can see his tag, which reads Officer Gordon. I can also see that his lip is freshly busted open.

"I mean my arm is hurt and I can't move it." I say back grinding my teeth together. My eyes flicker back over to Percy, whose eyebrows have pulled together. He's realized I'm injured.

"Then it's gonna hurt like hell when we put you in handcuffs." Gordon grunts, "But that's what you get for trespassing and destruction of property. Not to mention assaulting an officer. Oh, and thievery." He motions towards my dropped Twinkies.

"Actually, officer, these products are still on Hostess property. Therefore, I haven't really stolen them." I can't help but get cocky. These guys are really making me mad.

"Smart girl. What's your name, punk?" the officer pointing a pistol at me asks. He's younger than Gordon.

"Mia." I spout. It's the first name I think of that isn't my own. Besides, that Tereus guy thinks it's my name.

"Yeah, right. Your real name, kid." Gordon spits.

"Interrogation usually happens after arrest, doesn't it?" This shuts them both up. At least, for a moment or two.

"A little eager to be taken into the station, aren't we?"

"I'm just tired of talking to you."

"We have guns pointed at you, girl!"

"Yet it would be illegal for you to shoot me, since I am really not threatening you in any way."

"Just get in the damn car!" Gordon literally screams, his face turning purple. I attempt to shrug, but it's only one-sided, and it hurts.

I take a step forward, but the one with the gun… Reagan, I read… hustles forward and slaps handcuffs around my right wrist. Then he pulls my left arm back, which makes me yelp. Tears spring into my eyes, but I won't give these guys the satisfaction of crying. He tightens the cuffs and leads me to his car which, unfortunately, is a different car than the one Percy is being held in.

He presses me against the door and pats me down, confiscating my knife when he finds it stuffed in my back pocket, making 'tsk' sounds of disapproval. Then he pushes me into the backseat and slams the door behind me.

The windows are tinted, but I press my face against the glass and make eye contact with Percy one more time before his police cruiser speeds away, my own following.


	17. Chapter 17

**((A/N Not a very long chapter this time, but I wanted to Update ASAP, so here we are! Next chapter coming soon... And we might get to see some of our favorite characters soon too!))**

"What's your name?"

"Mia Jameson."

"How old are you?"

"Eighteen."

"Where are your parents?"

"They're on vacation." The lies come out one after the next, simply and steadily.

"Where?"

"London." I sigh loudly, signaling the interrogator of my boredom.

"Look, kid, if you didn't want to be here, you shouldn't have committed a crime."

"I told you, it was a dare, okay? Just some fun. I didn't hurt anyone but myself." I say, pointing at my wrapped up arm. Upon arrival at the station, the on-duty nurse looked me over and declared my arm broken, which kind of sucks. She wrapped it in a tight Ace-bandage from the time being.

"Whether or not you caused damage, you broke the law. That comes with repercussions."

"Whatever!" I grumble, "So, what now?"

"Well, we have to put you in a holding cell until we can set you up with a court date."

I decide that arguing any longer won't do me any good, so I let the officer help me up and out of the room. He leads me towards another room and, despite the fact that I'm stuck in a police department and about to be convicted for numerous crimes, my heart lightens when I see Percy sitting on a bench, his hands cuffed behind him. He meets my eyes and he half-smiles, scooting over on his seat to make room for me. I sit next to him, but keep my glare fastened on the policeman.

"Don't cause any more trouble," he nods towards us and then leaves. There's the sound of a deadbolt sliding into place from the outside.

"Hey." Percy mumbles.

"Wait…" I squint at the corners of the ceiling, looking for cameras or other recording devices. There don't seem to be any. "What did you tell them?"

"Well, my name is Peter Johnson, I'm nineteen, unemployed, and staying at my parents place while they go on a fishing trip." He snorts, "They actually believe me, I think."

"Good," I sigh, "How are we going to get out of this?"

"Hey, you're the brains. I'm the brawn." He winks.

"No way, Seaweed Brain. I'm the brains and the brawn. You're just my cheerleader."

"I don't think so. Especially not now. How's your arm?"

"Broken. But I've had worse. Once I can get my hands on some ambrosia I'll be as good as new." I wiggle the wrapped arm, ignoring how sore it is.

Percy just nods, his lips pressed together tightly. "I think I made it worse. At the factory, when the cops pulled up, I fought back against one of them. I punched him in the lip."

"I would've done the same thing. Besides, I'm the one who destroyed property, trespassed, and apparently stole. I'm still not positive they can accuse me of the last one though." I grit my teeth and shift my hand over to Percy's. He grips it, but not too tightly.

"Hey, how'd you hurt your arm anyway?" he asks, playing with my fingers.

I swallow, "Well… there was this water tank, and I had to climb out of it, and I slipped."

"You need to stop getting hurt."

"It's not really up to me," I roll my eyes.

"Seriously," he looks me straight in the eye, "It's one injury after the next. It sucks being the invincible one. I wish I could, like, pass some of it onto you."

"Or I could just stop being so clumsy."

"That would work too." He smiles, dropping my hand. "So. Escape plan."

"I was thinking we could use the Mist, but we're kind of surrounded. Besides, if one of these guys is a Seer, we'd be perfect target practice."

He shrugs, "I could shield you."

"And then we'd be child fugitives. Again." I say, remembering five years ago. It's a valid excuse, but the real reason I'm against this idea is that I really am tired of Percy having to save me. I'm capable enough of handling myself.

"What about your Yankees cap?" he asks. I'm suddenly aware of my momentarily forgotten hat in my back pocket.

"There's only one…" I pull my eyebrows together in concentration.

"We can work with only one." He says optimistically. He stands and steps backwards over the handcuffs so that his hands are in front of him, ready to help. Whenever I actually come up with a plan, that is.

My thinking time is cut short, however, because at that moment there's a click as the door is unlocked. My mind speeds up, and suddenly I come up with a plan. It's not the best I've ever had, but hey, I'm thinking on my feet here.

"Use the Mist. You're the only one they arrested." I say, reaching behind me with my good arm and slapping on my cap. Immediately after I disappear, an officer steps inside. To my delight, he looks surprised at finding only Percy.

"Where is she?" he asks, his voice strong and demanding.

"Who?" Percy asks convincingly.

"Annabeth, of course." Okay, this was not the response Percy was expecting, and it's clear on his face. These people think my name is Mia.

"Wh-who…?" Percy stutters. The officer tips his hat, revealing salt-and-pepper curls. "Hermes?"

"Yes, child, now where is Annabeth? I was told she was here as well." He asks, scanning the room. His eyes land on me, and he squints. I take off my hat and stuff it back in its place, smirking.

"Lord Hermes."

"Great, now we can get going." Hermes, in one swift movement, slices through Percy's handcuffs with his staff. The shackles around Percy's wrists glow gold for a moment, and then disintegrate.

Hermes doesn't try to be sneaky. He kind of just strolls out into the main office, and we follow him. He tips his hat at the secretary, who swoons for a moment, before walking right out the front doors.

"Who sent you?" I ask when we're in the parking lot.

"Mnemosyne of course." Hermes says without looking back. He keeps walking towards the main road, although I'm not sure where we're going.

"I thought you only delivered for the gods." Percy intervenes.

"Sometimes I'll make an exception. We're all family you know. Although, Mnemosyne is not happy with your performance. She might forget that you're all distantly related and zap you into dust. But, that's not my problem, now is it?" Hermes shrugs. He hails a cab, even though there are no cars in sight. A mortal taxi comes hurdling around the corner, and screeches to a halt in front of us, with an extremely bewildered driver gaping out at us. Hermes snaps his fingers, and the driver's eyes glaze over. "Trip is paid for. Now get going." He ushers us into the backseat, and then disappears in a flash of light.

"That was extremely convenient." I mutter as the taxi driver takes off.

"It was too easy." Percy agrees.

"And when things start off easy…"

"They get really freaking hard." Percy finishes.

I close my eyes and just think for a moment, letting my thoughts expand. "You know, I dropped the Twinkies. We don't even have anything to give her." I feel defeated. Like I lost. I hate losing.

"It's going to be okay," Percy tries to reassure me. I open my eyes when he reaches up and cups his hand around my face. "We'll figure something out. Somehow we always do."

"This is never going to end." I whisper, "Our lives are just constant stressful adventures with periods of quiet."

"Hey, when it's quiet, life is great. And I'll go on any adventure if you're by my side."

"Alright, Marion." I smile.

"Marion? Who's Marion?" he asks, confused.

"The love of Indiana Jones' life."

He thinks about that for a moment, "But I want to be Indiana."

"Nope. I'm Indiana." I lean forward and stop his retort with my lips.

"We will get your memory back." He promises quietly when we pull back.

"Surprisingly, that is not my biggest concern at the moment."

"What is?" he presses his forehead against mine.

"How tough it's going to be fighting back against my mother for the rest of my life."

"About me?"

"Who else, Seaweed Brain?"

"Well, it's just that you said 'for the rest of your life'." He breaks into a grin.

"Duh. I am never, ever letting you go. Memory or no memory."

Percy is about to say something, and I'm curious as to what it is, but at that moment the cab driver pulls up to the museum and tells us to 'skedaddle'. And so we make our way back up to the Greco-Roman wing, which is opportunely empty, and find the Titaness of memory sitting on her makeshift throne.

And she is eating a Twinkie.


	18. Chapter 18

**((A/N FINALLY! :D R&R my lovelies))**

"How did you get that?" I gape at Mnemosyne.

"You, of course." The Titaness looks at me like I've lost my mind. I've recently begun to doubt that as invalid.

"But I dropped them!" I exclaim.

"Yes, but they were touching the ground. Before, they were in a box… untouched by the Earth." She says, as if it explains everything.

"What does that have to do with anything?" Percy asks from beside me, just as confused.

"Gaea," I breathe, "Of course."

"Good, Annabeth. Yes, Gaea did me a favor and sent them to me. It was you, however, who made that possible. I suppose I owe you for that."

"You're giving her memory back?" Percy asks eagerly.

"If that is what you wish." Mnemosyne nods.

"Yes! Yes!" Percy practically hops up and down, but I lay a hand on his shoulder to stop him.

"What do you mean 'if that is what we wish'?" I ask the Titaness.

"I simply mean that I will grant you a wish. Although it must pertain to your mind… I'm not so good at physical alterations."

"So… you're like a genie or something?" Oh, Percy.

"Most certainly not. I am repaying you."

"Like a genie."

"Percy," I sigh.

"What?" He asks defensively.

My mind runs through a thousand thoughts at once. We're here. Our goal is complete.

"My lady, could you possibly grant us a quick way home as well?" I ask.

"Do I look like a charity to you?" her temper rises, then falls again, "I suppose so."

"Thank you." I give an awkward curtsy.

"Come, child." Mnemosyne reaches out her hand, and I step forward to take it, "Now I must warn you, having six months of memory instantaneously reform in your mind will not be comfortable. In fact, you will probably pass out for a day or two until your mind sorts everything out. It may be shorter, because you are a child of Athena… you children have brains that work five times as fast as a normal one. Still, don't overwork yourself for a while. I thank you, Annabeth Chase, child of Athena, for your valiant efforts at obtaining what I've so long searched for."

Then she reaches out with her hand and touches my forehead. And yes, I crumple to the ground.

I don't think I have a dream, since my brain preoccupies itself with sorting out memories, but my sleep is peaceful and deep. So deep that when I wake up, twenty-four hours have passed.

Let me tell you, from personal experience, that remembering when you didn't remember the things you remember now gives you a terrible headache. The relief and glee that bubble up inside of me, however, are enough of a compensation.

I'm not in the infirmary as I thought I'd be, but rather I'm in my bunk in the Athena cabin, which is otherwise deserted. They're probably all at dinner. It's about seven o'clock.

I also realize that my arm is no longer wrapped tight. Instead, it lays normally beside me, no longer hurting. Ambrosia.

I sit up in my bed, gripping the sheets in my balled up fists, unable to keep a smile from forming on my face. I remember everything. And it is the best feeling in the world.

Since I have a while until the campfire, which I plan on going to, I take a quick shower, throw new clothes on, and pull my hair into a ponytail.

My stomach rumbles, and I realize that it will be too late to eat once I get to the dining hall. I sprint anyways, inhaling the sweet strawberry field air along the way.

Everyone is filing out of the dining hall when I arrive. A few of them wave enthusiastically at me and welcome me home, but I'm not looking for them.

"Annabe-e-eth!" Grover plows into me, giving me a tight hug before backing away abruptly, as if he's just remembered he's an adult.

"Grover! Oh my gods, you totally saved my butt in San Antonio." I laugh, "Yelling 'Twinkies'? Brilliant."

"Good. I didn't know if you'd understand." He bleats, "I mean, of course I knew. You're genius. How are you? I heard you broke your arm."

I raise it up for him to see, "I'm fine. It's great to be home."

"It's great to have you guys back." His smile is lop-sided.

"Thanks. Hey, do you know where-"

"Percy is?" Grover finishes my sentence, "Yeah, but there's someone who wanted to see you first. I wouldn't keep her waiting either." For a horrifying moment, I think he means my mother is here to see me. Then, with a crushing hug from behind, I realize it's someone else.

"Thalia!" I yell, spinning around are throwing myself at her.

"I swear to Zeus, Annabeth, if I ever hear that you've stolen a camp vehicle and run away again, I will hunt you down myself." she says, her eyes ablaze yet a smile on her face.

"It won't happen again. I hope." I tease.

"But if it does, I totally call shotgun." Grover winks. Thalia elbows him in the ribs, and they begin a heated yet playful argument, which I slyly back out of. I want to find Percy.

Now that I remember how to follow the path to the beach, I don't trip or fall. I know where, and how tall, every tree stump is. I can easily slink through the trees, even in the dimming light.

I kick off my shoes where I always do, and look out over the private strip of sand. He's not there.

For a moment, my heart sinks. Then I notice the darker lines in the sand farther down the beach. I step forward, and read what he's written in the sand next to a drawing of an arrow, pointing towards the ocean.

_This way to Seaweed Brain_

I smile, tucking a loose strand of hair behind my ear and looking out over the water, which reminds me so much of his eyes. Then I take a step forward, sinking ankle deep in the cold water.

I don't expect it, but I also don't worry when the tide rushes farther up the beach, washing up to my knees and pulling me deeper. I know he's there.

"Come on, Seaweed Brain. I don't want to get all wet." I call, unsure of whether or not he can hear me above the surface. There's no answer. "Percy!"

The ocean water begins to seep up the sides of my legs, defying gravity as it runs all the way up to my waist. I take it that's his way of saying, _There. Now you're already wet. Get in here._

Before I even know what's going on, I get sucked underwater and whisked a hundred feet from shore. I panic, because any natural person would, but I soon realize that I can breathe. _Of course you can. Did you think he would let you drown? _I ask myself.

The bubble around my head expands so that it's surrounding my entire body, now dripping wet. Percy's head pokes through the side of the sphere, grinning.

"If you wanted to scare the Hades out of me, consider the mission accomplished." I cross my arms over my chest, but I can't not smile. He's too adorable.

"Oh, come on. You faced your biggest fears, I figured you wouldn't mind going for a swim." He pops inside of the airtight bubble. The walls of the sphere are oddly solidified, so that we can lean against them.

"How are you doing this?" I ask, placing a hand on the bubble.

"There's salt in the water. Salt is a solid. I'm just using that as a base. It's not that difficult really, Malcolm suggested it once." Percy shrugs, looking up at the surface, thirty feet above.

"That's really smart." I raise my eyebrows, impressed.

Percy nods, his lips pursed. "So your memory's back?"

It's my turn to nod. "Yeah. Some things are still murky, but it's reforming."

He smiles, "What's your favorite memory so far?"

I can't stop myself from laughing. "You're going to regret asking that."

"Why?" his eyes study me intently.

"Well, I remember this one time about two months ago when I showed up at your apartment, and your mom let me in," he blushes when he realizes what I'm talking about, but I continue anyways, "And you were still sleeping, and when you finally got up, you forgot to put pants on."

"I didn't notice I was only in boxers until we were halfway through breakfast." He laughs, covering his face with his hands.

"That's the best thing I remember so far." I laugh along with him. When my laughing has died down to just a smile, I study him. I've already memorized the lines of his face, the way his hair looks naturally yet perfectly messed up, the deep color of his eyes, and the perfect pink shade of his lips, but I can't stop myself from staring.

"What are you thinking?" he asks quietly.

"You are unbelievably attractive." I find myself saying.

"I was thinking the same thing about you," when he smiles, his whole face lights up. He tilts my chin up with his hand and begins kissing me. This time, I know how to kiss him back perfectly, because his lips are the things I know best in this world. I wonder how I could ever forget their utter precision.

"The harpies are going to be out soon." I breathe when we pull apart.

"That's alright. We can finish this tomorrow night. I'm taking you on a belated anniversary date."

"That sounds amazing." I let him wrap his arms around me as he pulls as back to shore, where the sun has set on a very good day.


	19. Chapter 19

**((A/N Here's a long fluffy chapter just for you. Read it. Enjoy it. Review it. :) Also, if there's anything that should be italicized and isn't I apologize. My computer is having numerous issues.))**

Percy drops me off at my cabin just as the rest of the campers are returning from the campfire sing-a-long. It's thrilling in a way, knowing that I've actually ditched something for the first time in my life. I have finally gained the true status of a teenager.

I rush to prepare for bed, because I know the younger campers will want to ask questions about my 'quest'. They're always curious, especially about how the outside world is holding up. So I brush my teeth, change my clothes, and slip into bed hastily, pulling the sheets over my head. The soft shuffling of my half-siblings getting ready to go to bed lulls me to sleep. Despite the fact that I've slept more than I've been awake in the past two days, I immediately plunge into darkness.

I dream about the Muses up in Olympus, who play me songs while I sit in the garden, gazing up at the sky. We're above the clouds here. The only things to see are stars. Once I have picked out every constellation I know, I lean my head back and relax. It is so insanely perfect that for a moment, I don't want to ever wake up. Then, Percy floats into my subconscious, and I realize that in no way would I ever want to stay in my dreams if he couldn't be with me.

I wake up at exactly 5:47, which is three minutes before my alarm is set for. I stuff my face into my pillow and groan quietly, careful not to wake up any other campers. I can't fall asleep again in three minutes, but it sure would have been nice if I stayed dreaming, even if for only such a short period of time. Stupid me.

I carefully climb out of bed and slip on regular camp clothes. I hug them to my chest and maneuver through the cabin towards the closed door. I'm used to getting up earlier than my siblings. I like morning runs.

Once out of the cabin, I slip on my sneakers and braid my hair to keep it out of my eyes. Then I take off, concentrating on the crisp morning air, and the silence that is so rare for a camp full of children.

I'm out of shape from everything that's been happening. I only run two miles before I have to stop and catch my breath, hands on my knees, panting. This is definitely disappointing.

See, I'm Annabeth Chase. Veteran camper, co-savior of the world, all that good stuff. I've been training and working out since I was seven years old for gods' sakes. I should be able to run two miles without a problem.

I push on anyways because, like I said, I'm Annabeth. I can do anything.

I finish the lap around the Camp borders, which is approximately a four mile run, although near the end I'm forced to walk by the screaming of my lungs. Then I return to my cabin.

When I get back, it's about 6:15. Some of my siblings are starting to wake up, but the majority of them are still tucked in bed, hiding under their gray covers.

"Morning, Annabeth." One of my sisters whispers, passing me on the way out the door. She's probably going to take a shower. I suddenly feel like I need one as well, but then I realize that I'm just going to be training more today anyways.

I spend the next half an hour at my desk, sketching buildings with my graphite sticks. Now that I have my memory back, I need to continue working on Olympus. Something cannot be perfection if it is not finished.

At seven o'clock, my cabin heads towards the mess hall with me in the lead, as usual. Everyone is yawning or stretching, but I feel energized… The perks of being a runner.

We eat breakfast, a low buzz of conversation spreading through the air as everyone finds their voices. I just shovel food into my mouth, because Zeus am I starving.

Out of habit, I glance up and see Percy staring at me, choking back laughter as syrup drips down my chin. I wipe it off with the back of my hand and give him a look that says, _You've looked stupider_. He just grins wider.

"Good morning, campers!" Chiron's booming voice makes some of the campers jump, but I'm so used to it that I don't even flinch. I turn to look at my centaur instructor, and his eyes meet mine in a welcoming wink. I realize then that I haven't seen him since the Iris message, which is strange, because Chiron is usually the first one to converse with campers after they've been gone or injured. "Today's schedule is a normal one. For once, we are having a fairly normal day! I'd like to personally welcome back Percy Jackson and Annabeth Chase from their- er- quest. Capture the flag will be on Friday."

I understand why Chiron hesitates on the word 'quest'. For one, Percy and I were never sent on an official quest. To go on one of those, you need a prophecy. We kind of just stole a truck and left. I know that I'll be lectured about this later on today.

"Morning, sunshine." I don't realize Percy has come to stand behind me until he talks. I spin around and look up at him, his hair flawlessly tousled from a good night's sleep.

"Sunshine? What's that supposed to mean?"

"It means you brighten my day. Now stop being so literal and take my hand." He holds it out, palm up. I place my hand in his and he begins to walk, pulling me beside him.

"Where are we going? Breakfast isn't over, and I have archery in ten minutes."

"You're not going to archery."

"What are you talking about?" my question is answered with a smirk. "Percy Jackson, Chiron will be furious if-"

"I've talked to him, Wise Girl, just trust me." He looks down at me, "Grab whatever you're going to need for tonight and meet me at my cabin."

"Tonight?" I ask, "You mean our date?"

"Of course," he shrugs simply. Then he places a kiss on my knuckles and drops my hand, stalking towards his own cabin and leaving me outside of my own.

I blink, completely confused, but decide to listen nonetheless. I enter my cabin and walk over to my dresser. I shuffle through some of my clothes before I realize that I don't know how to dress. What if we're going somewhere fancy, and I bring a t-shirt? Or what if we're just going to the movies, and I bring some stupid dress? I drop the clothes I'm browsing through onto my bed and walk over to Percy's cabin. I don't knock. I never knock.

I should have knocked. He's changing, just slipping his shirt off. It's not embarrassing for either of us. I've obviously seen him shirtless many times before. I mean, the boy spends half of his life swimming. But I do feel intrusive for a moment.

"Can I help you?" he asks, raising a black eyebrow.

"What do I wear?" I ask, unable to keep myself from running my eyes down his body.

"Anything you want." He smiles, as if my question amuses him. For some reason, this irks me.

"Like, formal or casual?"

"Whichever."

"Perseus, give me an answer!"

"I did!" he laughs, "Annabeth, we won't be in public. I will dress according to you. If you want to wear a dress, wear a dress. If you want to wear sweats, be my guest. I'll love you just as much either way."

I sigh, "Fine."

The startled look on his face confuses me, until he squeals, "I've finally come up with an answer sufficient enough to please the great Annabeth Chase? Praise the gods!"

I leave, closing the door behind me as he continues to jump around singing, "Praise Poseidon!" After I stalk back over to my cabin, I pick out clothes that are a little bit more attractive than just camp clothes, but they aren't fancy in any way. Black shorts and a denim button-up. I don't put them on yet, since Percy just said to grab them, but I stuff them in a backpack that I guess I'll be bringing along.

I'm about to leave before I remember something: his present. I walk back over to my bed, lift up the mattress, and pull out the envelope that I'd forgotten about until now. Remembering what's inside, my heart speeds up, and I grin to myself.

When I return to his cabin, he's fully clothed (darn) and ready to go, his own backpack slung over his shoulder. "You ready?"

"I think so. It depends."

"On what?" he half-smiles, standing up and lacing his fingers through mine.

"On what we're actually doing." I smile back, squeezing his hand.

"Ah, yes. Quite the mystery." He grins, "Come on, let's go." We begin to walk towards the camp border.

"Go? We're not stealing another car, are we?" I tease.

"Sadly, no. We'll be taking a much more romantic ride… in my mother's station wagon."

We walk over the hill, hand-in-hand, and back down the other side, weaving through the trees.

"How was your morning run?" he asks, as Sally's car comes into view.

"How did you know I went for a morning run?" I ask him.

"You're just so sweaty…" he chuckles, "I'm joking. You run every morning."

"I didn't know you knew. You always sleep until five minutes before breakfast."

"Hardeehar." He laughs monotonously, a bad attempt at humoring me. As we reach the car, Percy opens the door for me. I slide in, and he slips in next to me.

"Annabeth, honey! How have you been?" Sally Jackson exclaims, looking back at me. She's always loved me, from what I can remember. She's pretty awesome herself, too.

"I've been better. Thanks for picking us up." I give her a warm smile.

"Oh, no problem. Percy, it's good to see you."

"You too, Mom." Percy says from next to me. The backpacks are in between us, but he doesn't let go of my hand. I don't want him to.

The drive is uneventful and conversational, since Mrs. Jackson hasn't seen me in such a long time. When we finally pull up to the Jackson's apartment, I'm surprised when she doesn't follow us up the steps.

"Remember the rules, Percy. No open flames." I can't tell if Sally is joking, but I laugh anyways.

"You're not coming in?" I ask her, raising my eyebrows.

"Percy has requested Paul and I be absent for today," she looks mischievously at her son, "I'm choosing to trust him. The main reason why I agreed was because I know you'll keep him in line." She pulls me into a hug, plants a kiss on Percy's cheek, and then gets back into her car.

"Seriously? You kicked your parents out of the apartment for the whole day?" I follow him through the front door.

Percy laughs, "My mom offered. She's just making fun of me."

"For what?" I ask, curious. I kick of my shoes and set my backpack on the ground, letting myself enjoy the apartment. The Jackson-Blofis residence always smells like chocolate chip cookies.

"She's doing that awkward thing where the parent insinuates the child is going to… do something with his girlfriend." He runs his hands over his face in exasperation.

"Oh? Something like…?" I cock my head to the side, biting my lip.

"Probably something like this." He winks slightly, slipping his hand behind my hair and pulling my face into his for a deep, lingering kiss.

"Yes, that would be terrible." I wink back as we pull apart.

"So, I've created a line-up of all of our favorite movies, but if you want to do that later, we can go somewhere now." His hands never leave my waist, and his eye never leave mine.

"Like where?"

"Central Park, the movies, the strip, the best seats at a Yankees game. Wherever." He shrugs, a small smile creeping onto his face.

"Wait. Repeat that last one." My eyes widen.

He pulls two slips of paper from his back pocket and hands them to me. I lift them gently for me to see, treating them with the utmost care. "You're taking me to a Yankees game."

"Is that alright?" he asks, unsure of himself for a moment.

"Are you kidding me?" I tackle him, "Percy, you're amazing!"

"Well, I figured… You have the Yankees cap, but you've never been to a game. It just seemed strange to me." He catches me in a hug and pulls me deep into his chest, which smells of the ocean. Not the fishy part. The sweet, beach scent, of coconuts and tropical fruit.

"You are the most amazing person I have ever met in my entire life." I wrap my arms around his torso and hold him there for a few moments, each of us cradling the other. He kisses the top of my head, and I bury my face in his shirt, determined to never smell anything but him again.

"I'd love to just sit here and hold you all day long, Annabeth. I really would. But the game starts in an hour." He beams.

I unfold myself from him, and wonder aloud, "Didn't you say we weren't going to be in public?"

"Oh, I meant we're having a private dinner." He says, "You didn't bring a dress, did you? Because otherwise, we're going to have to go rent a tux."

"I didn't. But can you rent a tux anyway? For me?" I tease, poking his stomach.

"How did I know you were going to ask that?" he laughs, pulling his shoes back on. I do the same.

"We know each other extremely well. I mean, soon we're going to start finishing each other's-"

"Sentences." His smile is dazzling.


	20. Chapter 20

**((A/N And the date night continues! Your reviews make me happy :)))**

The seats are behind home plate. They're blue plastic, the same blue as my invisibility cap, which makes me smile.

Since I can't really wear my own Yankees cap (I mean, I'd disappear…) Percy buys me a different one at a souvenir kiosk. He gets himself one too, so we match, which I find both adorable and annoying.

"There are so many people!" I exclaim as the stadium fills. No seat is left empty, or so it seems.

"Well, yeah, it's a Yankees game." Percy laughs, as if this clears everything up.

The sun is bright behind the only cloud in an otherwise blue sky. It's breezy, and it feels amazing.

Generic baseball music blasts from the speakers, and the crowd roars to life as the players file onto the fields.

"I'm not jealous, but for the sake of my sanity, don't look at them too long." Percy places an arm around my shoulders, winking. I roll my eyes and make a point to stare at the team.

Percy has to explain everything to me once the game starts, but my numerous questions seem to amuse rather than bother him.

"There are nine innings."

"What's an inning?"

"When a team gets three strikes, they rotate offense and defense."

"What is the other team's name again?"

"The Rockies."

It's strange being clueless for once, while Percy knows everything. I wonder if this is how it feels to be him all of the time: confused. By the end of the fifth inning, however, I think I've got the whole baseball thing down.

Up on the giant screen, the display flashes from the score, to a live feed from the audience. The title says "Kiss Cam". I know we're too far forward seat-wise to be put on the screen, but I pull Percy in for one anyways. He concurs.

The rest of the game is eventful and exciting, especially now that I understand the rules. The Yankees end up winning, 7-3, which results in a deafening roar from the audience as the game ends.

The ocean of people sweeping towards the exits is completely perplexing and terrifying, and I clamp onto Percy's hand so hard that I'm sure it would snap if he wasn't invincible.

We take the subway back to Manhattan, which I find fascinating, although when I attempt to point out architectural genius to Percy, it's hard from him to enjoy it with me. To him, this is just a dusty tunnel.

We walk from the station back to his apartment, where he asks me what I want to do.

"Do you mind if I shower off?" I ask, fully aware of how grubby I feel from my run this morning, and from sitting in the warm stadium for hours.

He shrugs, "Go ahead."

I peck him on the cheek before retiring to the bathroom.

Once done with my shower, I brush my hair and check my appearance in the mirror. I look a billion times better than I did after waking up from my little coma, which feels like so long ago but was really only last week. I've regained my tan, and gained back a few pounds, which I desperately needed. I'm still skinny, but now, I don't look fragile. My hair dries remarkably fast, and drops in ringlets over my shoulders. All of my wounds are finally healed. I finally look like Annabeth again.

I pull on my dinner clothes, since my camp ones are dirty. When I find Percy, he's lounging on the couch, watching Finding Nemo. Of course.

"Hey! Sorry, I was going to wait for you, but…" he trails off, his eyes landing on me. "You changed."

"Is that okay?" I ask, glancing down at my casual clothes.

"Yeah, it's just, I never see you in anything but camp clothes. This is nice. Sexy." He chuckles, "I'll be right back." He flips backwards over the couch and retreats to his room, where I'm sure he's gone to change as well. When he comes out, he's wearing dark jeans and a light blue button up with a loose black tie. He looks amazing.

As if on cue, he catches my eye and raises one brow, "Do I look alright?"

"Never better," I grin, "So what's for dinner?"

"It's only three o'clock!" Percy laughs at me.

"But I'm hungry." I pout, widening my eyes and looking up at him.

He sighs dramatically, "Fine." He puts a finger up to tell me to stay where I am, and then retreats to the kitchen. After a few moments, he pops his head back out to make sure I'm staying put. Then he comes out with a tray of fruit kabobs, which I know just by looking at them, were made earlier today by Sally.

"You kicked her out of the house, and made her cook?" I gape at him, accepting a stick. I eat a cube of fresh watermelon, which is extremely satisfying.

"No, she just stabbed the fruit. I cut it up and picked it out. Besides, I made dinner."

"And it's edible?" I pretend to gasp, which turns into a giggle.

"Oh, you'll see." He pokes my ribs, and I curl away from him as he sits on the couch, pulling my knees to my chest. On the TV screen, Dory speaks whale.

"So you can actually speak whale, right?" I ask Percy, whose mouth is full of grapes.

"Definitely. And it sounds nothing like that." He points towards the TV with his kabob.

"What does it sound like?" I inquire, smiling.

He cocks his head to the side, genuinely thinking about his answer. "Like when you impale an elderly cow with a pointy object."

"And you speak from experience?" I nearly choke.

"Yes, and you've experienced it too! The Minotaur is centuries old. He's a cow, right?"

"Bull." I correct.

"Same thing!" Percy grumbles, "So what do you want to watch? I know you're tired of this movie."

"What do you have?"

"Every animated Disney movie ever made." He chuckles, pulling out a stack of DVDs. We decide on The Little Mermaid, since it satisfies both my love of princesses (don't judge), and Percy's love of… well, water. We only get ten minutes into the movie, however, when Percy turns to me.

"What?" I ask, meeting his eyes.

"Hmm?" he asks, as if he's breaking out of some stupor or trance.

"You're staring."

"When did you know you loved me?" he asks out of the blue.

I think about it, "I probably realized it after Mount St. Helens, when I thought you were dead."

"So it took me dying for you to sort out your feelings?" he asks, although he's teasing me.

"Well how about you, Seaweed Brain? When did you fall so deeply in love with me?" I ask, drawing out my words, grinning.

He shrugs, "You fell off a cliff holding onto a vicious manticore, and then disappeared."

"So it took me dying for you to sort out your feelings?" I mimic him.

"I knew you weren't dead," He wraps an arm around me and pulls me close, "If I was still breathing, it meant you had a chance."

"_SO_ valiant." I reach up and touch his lips with my fingers, "I think I loved you before I realized it, though."

"It always happens like that. Thank the gods you felt the same way."

"_Feel_ the same way," I correct him. He smiles and leans down to kiss me, but I dodge away from his face, leaving him looking dejected. "Did you hear that?"

"Hear what?" he asks, looking over his shoulder out of habit.

I click the TV to mute, and listen intently to the silence of the apartment. Then it happens again: a quiet hoot from down the hall. Percy has Riptide out in a flash, but I gently touch his arm to ease his nerves. This isn't a monster. Per say.

I slowly make my way towards Percy's room, where the sound seemed to be coming from. Percy begins to follow close behind me, but I stop him. "Stay here," I whisper.

"What? No!" he looks confused.

"It's okay," I tell him, searching his eyes. He seems adamant, but finally gives in, shoulders drooping. He stays at the end of the hall as I creep forward.

My hand closes around Percy's door handle, and I'm about to turn it when the door flies open, scaring the Hades out of me. I stagger backwards, clutching at my thrumming heart, catching my breath. Percy has begun to step forward, but I shake my head at him.

There's a silver glow around Athena, who is facing away from me, staring out of Percy's window. A dwarf owl perches itself on her shoulder. Her fingers tap the windowsill in a perfectly timed beat. When she speaks, I jump, her voice loud over the silence of the apartment. "Hello, daughter."

"Mother." I say, with as much respect as I can muster. Which isn't much, by the way.

"It seems you blatantly disobeyed me." Athena turns to face me, her face fierce.

"It seems so," I say back.

Athena pauses and looks me up and down. "Perseus, you insult me. Why try to eavesdrop? Enter."

Percy slips into the room so quickly, I get the feeling he was just around the corner. He stands close to me, and his hand instinctually reaches out for mine. It's a stupid move, in front of my mother, but I understand why he's done it. We are each other's stability.

"Lady Athena." He greets her.

"I would like to get out of this place as soon as possible," Athena wrinkles up her nose, kicking aside a pair of Percy's boxers that lay on his floor, "So I will make this as quick as possible. You children are fully aware of where I previously stood on the matter of your relationship."

Percy and I both nod.

"What I am here to say is difficult for me. I am the goddess of strategy and intelligence. I do not apologize on a regular basis." My heart leaps as she says this, and I squeeze Percy's hand. She's going to apologize?

"I understand," I offer. My mother grimaces, which is as close to a smile as she's given me in months.

"I have based my understanding of your relationship on past grudges against Poseidon, and for that I am sorry. Perseus may be like his father, but he is not him. Over the past week, I have done all I can to prevent this from happening, but I am aware of the fact that you two will either be together or die trying. Annabeth, although I have not shown it much, I do care for you as a mother should care for their child. I only want the best for you, and up until now, I believed that Percy was not the best. I still do not believe he is ideal," she flickers her eyes distastefully towards Percy, "however, I am willing to accept your current status. For the sake of our relationship." Athena says, her eyes on me.

My mouth feels dry, probably because it has popped open. I forget to breathe for a few moments, until I sputter for air. Percy is speechless next to me.

"You won't hate him anymore?" I ask, delighted.

"I won't like him, but no more hatred." Athena directs her attention towards Percy, "If you take good care of her, as you have for the past five years, I may be inclined to focus on your pros instead of your… many cons." She glances once more around the dirty room. And then, in a flash of light to which Percy and I avert our eyes, she is gone.


	21. Chapter 21

**((A/N Sorry it's taken so long. Back-half of Junior year? *Insert sarcastic whooo here*** **But guess what? I've already written the next two chapters. SO... they shall be uploaded in a matter of minutes. BOOM!))**

Now, if you've ever had your boyfriend tell you he's cooked dinner, it's quite a terrifying thought. Especially when he insists on dousing everything in blue food coloring. I understand making blue cupcakes; Blue spaghetti, with blue sauce, on blue plates? Zeus almighty.

I attempt to focus on how sweet the gesture is, instead of how discolored my dinner is, and once I get past the fact that it looks like alien brains, I find out that it's actually more than edible. Yummy, to be completely honest. I don't tell Percy that, of course... He might cook for me more often.

We eat at the dining room table, which makes me a bit uncomfortable. The Blofis-Jackson family is so laid back, I don't even think this room has been used until now. Usually, they just chow on the couch.

When I've filled myself with spaghetti, Percy retreats to the kitchen only to return with dessert.

"You could have told me! I stuffed myself already!" I exclaim as he lays a piece of blueberry pie in front of me.

"Oh, hush. Just eat it Wise Girl." He chuckles, plopping down into his own seat and shoving a forkful into his mouth.

I sigh dramatically and take a bite, and before I know it, the pie is gone.

"Now." Percy turns to me, smiling broadly. Excited.

I wait for him to explain, but he doesn't, so I raise my eyebrows, "Now?"

"I have something to give you," he oils a small wrapped box from his pocket and places it on the table in front of me, a goofy grin plastering his face.

"What?" I burst out, making Percy jump a little. "I thought the Yankees tickets were my present! You got me more? Perseus Jackson, I swear if you spent more money-"

"Annabeth, just shut up and accept the present." He laughs.

I glare at him, but deep down I'm extremely curious. I reach forward and gently pluck the gift from the table, holding it gingerly between my fingers. Then I slowly tear off the paper and find myself holding just the bare box, still closed, still a mystery. "Seriously, if you bought this..."

"Stop worrying. This one was free." He smiles.

Despite my nagging, I can't help but be slightly disappointed. I scold myself internally for being so bipolar.

It turns out, I had nothing to worry about, because the gift is gorgeous.

"Percy..." I pull the ring from its container and inspect it. It's simple: two bronze bands that part at the top to hold a single pearl in place. It's simple. Yet somehow, the most beautiful thing I've ever seen. And I've seen Aphrodite.

The pearl is perfect; not one of those things you go buy at a store. I can tell he searched for this one, and perfected it even further.

"Gods, it's so beautiful." I breathe, slipping it onto my finger. It fits perfectly. I suddenly realize that I instinctually placed it on my ring finger, blush bright red, and switch it to my other hand.

"You like it. Really?" Percy sighs in relief, "You're not just saying that because you have to, right?"

I laugh, "I don't _have _to say anything. It really is perfect. Thank you, Percy."

"Thank Poseidon. I picked the pearl, but he had the actual ring made. It's celestial bronze. Won't rust underwater." He shrugs like it's no big deal, but I can see the pink in his cheeks.

"I have something for you too, Seaweed Brain. Stay here." I slide off my chair and head down the hallway to where I threw my camp clothes. I find the envelope, pull it out, and head back towards the dining room, heart pounding.

I rarely give gifts. I'm not sentimental like Percy. I have problems picking them out, and I'm always so worried when the receiver opens it. So when I pass the envelope to Percy and squeak, "Happy Anniversary," he pulls his eyebrows together.

"Is everything okay?" He asks. I know he's looking at me, but I can't yank my tunnel vision from the envelope.

"Mhmm," I supply, hoping it will suffice.

He rips it open. And pulls it out. And stares at it. And drops it onto the table.

His expression says it all. I can't help but smile.

"The gods are seriously letting you put this in Olympus?"

"It took some convincing, but you've deserved it. We all have." I shrug, leaning forward to examine the picture once more. "It's being sculpted by Hephaestus at the moment."

I let my eyes run over the paper, refreshing my memory of what I'd drawn before becoming an amnesiac. It's a nine foot tall sculpture of three: me, Grover, and Percy, clad in battle armor, positioned for battle, our weapons drawn (or in Grover's case, his reed pipes). It's a perfect depiction of the Battle for Olympus. At first, I hadn't drawn myself in. After I'd shown Thalia the plans, though, she sort of screamed at me until I added myself. I guess she thinks I'm, like, important or something.

"It's amazing! This is awesome!" Percy exclaims. I'm worried he's just saying it to appease me, but his eyes sparkle, and I can tell he really does like it.

"It'll be up next month. It's going to be there forever."

He stares at the drawing, muttering "forever" under his breath. Then he turns to look at me. "Thank you, Annabeth. Seriously."

"Anytime, Seaweed Brain. Now. Are you up for Finding Nemo?"

I laugh when his eyes brighten significantly and he lunges towards the living room, flies onto the couch, and flips the TV on. I cuddle up next to him, and he wraps his arm around me, and about twenty minutes into the movie, I fall asleep.

If only this perfection lasted until tomorrow.


	22. Chapter 22

**((A/N I was just rereading this chapter, and I realized it's a bit confusing, but I don't want to rewrite it so... Yeah. _EXPLANATION: This happens three days after their anniversary. They've been back at camp for those days_.** **Have fun kiddos :)))**

Sweat.

Sweat is in my eyes. Dripping down my cheeks and back. Staining the underarms of my shirt. With every blow, my victim's insides spray out onto me, leaving it to stick my sweat.

Hay.

Hay is what sticks to me every time I land a blow. I leave it to scratch my eyes, to leave itchy invisible cuts along my arms and legs.

The training dummy vibrates every time I slam my fist into it, spouting more and more hay from the hole where its head should be. Instead, the lolling ball of sand rolls across the stadium, coming to a stop underfoot – or rather hoof – of one of my very best friends.

"That has to be the fastest I've seen someone take out every one of these poor guys." Grover bends down and tucks the head of the dummy under his arm like a basketball.

I don't answer, just trail my forearm over my face to wipe away some of the sweat. My grip on the knife in my hand doesn't loosen.

"What's wrong?" Grover sighs. The way he says this, like he believes there's always something on my nerves, rubs me the wrong way.

"You don't have to be here." I snap back, turning back to the headless rows of dummies behind me. I count them in my head and find that I've gutted fourteen and decapitated twenty-six. Forty.

"Whatever, Annabeth. I just came to tell you that dinner is starting in ten minutes." There's a thud as the head is dropped, and I stare at the ground until I hear the heavy click of the giant double-doors that signals his departure. A guttural scream rips through me, and in one swift movement I throw my knife fifty feet across the stadium, where it sticks out of one of the remaining heads.

Then I sink to the ground to catch my breath.

My head pounds, and I try not to focus on the sweat that is hardening all over my body, leaving salt in its place. Instead I pick up a handful of dust and hold it a foot above the ground, letting myself calculate the physics of its fall back to the ground. Distance: 12 inches. Acceleration due to gravity: -9.81 meters per second.

These numbers calm me, and I am able to regain my composure in a matter of seconds. I jog over to my knife and stuff it in my belt loop, careful not to stab myself like last time. I can be a klutz.

It's a full sprint to my cabin, where I hastily take a shower and blow-dry my hair. Then I redress in less disgusting clothing: shorts and my Camp T-shirt.

I catch up with a few of my half-siblings on the way up to the cafeteria, but am careful to avoid their conversations and questions as to where I've been. After all, I've skipped every one of my classes today.

Dinner is usually my favorite time of day. It's like a family reunion feast every day. But today it makes my palms sweat and my heart skip beats. I swallow a lump in my throat as I enter the cafeteria, taking a seat next to Malcolm, my half-brother.

Right away, I feel the eyes boring into me. I stare down at my lap, seeing him out of my peripheral vision. But I can't meet his eyes. I won't only break; I'll shatter.

Food is served, and the entire time I feel him staring at me. This gives me a complete lack of appetite, and I don't down any food.

The first day, he tried to console me, with my sudden mood-swing. The second, he began getting ticked off. And now…

Now it happens: he stands, leaves his table, and stalks over to me, arms crossed.

"You need to eat." I flinch at his voice, feeling so much more vulnerable than I'm comfortable with. I'm supposed to be Annabeth Chase. I'm supposed to be fearless.

I pick at a notch on the wooden bench, not saying anything.

"This is so not like you." He mutters. I feel like my lungs are thickening.

"We can talk later." I say quietly.

"It's been three days! I think it'd be safe to consider now later."

"That sounds so illogical." I say, daring to let my eyes shift to his sneakers.

"Is that really what you want to say to me? That I'm illogical? Wow, Annabeth. Maybe we should reconsider your nickname."

"Hey!" I shoot up to a stand and look his straight in the eyes, all of my fear melting into white hot rage, "You don't even know what's going on, and you're getting pissed at me? You're supposed to be my best friend! Everyone is turning their backs on me when I need them most, and you're the biggest perpetrator of them all, Percy Jackson! You keep asking me what's wrong, but never have you once offered your shoulder to cry on! If you think you're so smart and know everything that's going on, then maybe you should just… just…" My throat tightens until I can barely breathe let alone talk, and tears are teetering, threatening to spill over. I turn on my heel and start to take off, ignoring the stares of everyone in the room.

Percy catches my wrist and yanks me back, causing a small yelp to escape my lips. His eyebrows immediately relax, and his lips twitch into a small frown of apology. He steps up and leans into me, and for a horrifying moment I think he's going to kiss me. Instead, he whispers in my ear, "Dock. Five minutes." In a pitiful response, I choke.

I keep a steady pace as I leave, not giving any of my enemies the satisfaction of seeing me run out crying. I hold my chin up, cross my arms over my chest defensively, and stalk out with a fork still gripped in my fist. At the door, I forcefully stab it into the wall and leave it protruding there.

He must take a different route then I do, because somehow he makes it there before I do. He sits on the edge of the dock, his feet dangling over the edge, skimming the top of the lake. This makes my heart tug as I remember our kiss, under the very surface of this very water, surrounded in a bubble of protection that only Percy is able to conjure.

I sit next to him, a few inches away. It feels weird, being this far away from him. It feels even weirder when he puts his arm around me and pulls me close. Yet I can't help myself from leaning my face into the crook of his neck and bawling my eyes out.

"I'm sorry." He whispers after my sobs have succumbed to my need for air, "I've been a jerk."

I nod into his shoulder, causing him to chuckle. I feel better immediately.

"It's just… I feel like you're pushing me away. And now that something has gained your full attention… well… I guess I'm jealous." He stumbles over his words, "I'm jealous of how you won't talk to me… or anyone, really… anymore. I want to know what's wrong… I really do, it's just… I'm scared I won't be able to…" he trails off, losing his thoughts.

"I'm so sorry." I shudder against his side, "I'm so sorry."

"You haven't done anything wrong, love."

"I've pushed everyone away. I should never push you away, Percy, you're the best thing I've got." I bite my lip nervously.

"Please tell me what's wrong. I promise, whatever it is, I'll be there for you." He cradles my face in his hands and turns to look me in the eye. I can't hold myself back as I push against his hands and find my mouth pressed to his. He kisses me back gently, and then pulls his face away a few inches.

I take this as an opportunity to speak, "You can't promise that." My voice cracks, and I try so hard not to cry again. "You cannot promise me you'll be there for me no matter what."

"But I can, Annabeth. I swear on my life I will-"

"Stop!" I run my fingers through his hair, and let my hand rest on his cheek. I take a deep breath, and let it out with my words. "I'm moving back to San Francisco."


	23. Chapter 23

**((A/N BAM! 3 Chapters up in 5 minutes. Don't you just love me? :)))**

Everything is awkward the next two days, which severely devastates me, considering I move in two more. I barely talk to Percy, and every face-to-face interaction I have with everyone else is horribly depressing. This has been my home for most of my life. So why does my father want me back now?

"One year, and then we can go to college together." I keep telling Percy. But we both know how hard a year will be. Plus, with his grades and mine, we probably won't be going to the same college. And when I mean my 'grades', I mean the marks I got from being 'homeschooled'… as my records say.

My books and things are all packed into boxes, although I have very few sentimental belongings. Most of my knick-knacks are from Percy; he's the type of guy to give small presents with big meanings, instead of the other way around.

I am taping a cardboard box shut when I see him looking out from behind his curtains at me, a lop-sided grin on his face. My heart flips in my chest, partially from the scare and partially from his gorgeous face. I stand, setting the tape gun on a chair, and make my way over to his now open door.

"Good morning, Seaweed Br… What the heck?" I stop mid-sentence, seeing his room stacked with boxes identical to mine.

"It really is a good morning, isn't it?" He blinks at me innocently.

"What are you doing?" I ask suspiciously.

"Moving, of course." He says simply. My stomach drops. Half of me feels elated, and the other half is immediately sick.

"Please, explain."

"Well, I talked to my mom last night, and she agreed to let me come with you for the summer. Think of it as an exchange student program." He winks, giving me butterflies.

"My parents would never allow it."

"They won't have to know." He smiles proudly. He's not going to go down easily.

"Where will you stay?"

"With you, of course."

"Then how will they not know?"

"Ah, you forget." He reaches behind me and pulls a familiar artifact out of my back pocket.

"So you're just going to use my magical hat to stay invisible all summer? Percy…"

"Only at night. I only need a place to sleep, and other than that I'll stay away from the house. They won't know."

"There's no extra beds in the house."

"I know." He grins, pulling me towards him, "I was planning on sharing."

"And Sally is okay with all of this?" I say, my thoughts completely conflicting.

"She's encouraging it. To 'broaden my horizons' and all that." He laughs, "So… what do you say?"

"No." I cross my arms, "If you're caught, I'm screwed for life."

"Hey, you won't be screwed as long as you have me."

"That will be the reason I'm screwed!" I groan.

He pouts, eyes big, "So you don't want me there?"

"Of course I do-"

"Then it's settled." He grins, "We will begin driving tomorrow."

"Driving? Percy, that will take days!"

"I'm not getting on an airplane." He says horrifically.

"It's either that, or you're not going." I say finally.

"You take the plane. I'll meet you there."

"Meet me? Where are you planning on keeping the car?"

"Will you just chill? I've got it all figured out!" he kisses my temple and begins to transfer his boxes of belongings outside.

I stare at his wall, my mind running wild. Doubts pass through my mind, so many questions mixing together.

"You're not chilling." He interrupts my thoughts, "You need to take a deep breath and trust me."

"I trust you. I just don't think this is the answer to our problem."

"What?"

"I mean… you shouldn't have to leave your life here behind for me. I don't want to drag you down, and keep you from-"

"You're not breaking up with me, are you?" he doesn't look worried; it's as if he's asking a knock-knock joke.

"No, but-"

"Good! It's settled then." He practically tackles me in a hug, sending me sprawling backwards onto his bed. He leans over me and presses his lips to mine in a quick kiss. "Just another adventure."

I find my fingers running over his forehead and through his hair, brushing it away from his gorgeous eyes. "Everything is an adventure when it comes to you, Seaweed Brain."

"When it comes to us, Wise Girl." He winks, and then helps me into a sitting position.

"I'm still not happy with you driving. So many things could go wrong."

"I only suggested driving because I knew you didn't like Mrs. O'Leary. Me on the other hand… I'm fine with her. I could be in San Francisco in five minutes."

"So I call you when I land and give you the all clear."

"Sounds great," he leans in to kiss me again, but before his lips touch mine he pauses and breathes, "This is going to work."

"If it doesn't, I'm taking the blame." I let my eyes search his face.

"We both know I'm not going to let that happen." He closes the gap between us.


	24. Chapter 24

**((A/N Here's a long chapter. Introduction to San Fran! R&R :)))**

I exit the plane, single file with the other passengers, although I sit near the front because I'm under eighteen and travelling alone. The flight went smoothly, except for when I got attacked by a harpy during my layover in Denver. It was confused and alone, so it was pretty easy to take out. And thank the gods for the Mist, because airport security was going psychotic.

I've been to this airport twice before, so I know where I'm going for the most part. I have two suitcases. The rest is being "shipped" from Camp. And by shipped, I mean carried by Pegasus. It's cheaper than paying for shipping and handling, I guess.

By the time I find my way outside, I'm extremely hot. San Francisco is a bit warmer than New York this time of year, and I'm still wearing my jacket from this morning. I pull it over my head, and just as I slip it off I hear two familiar ten-year old voices. "Annabeth!"

My half-brothers, Bobby and Matthew, run up and wrap their arms around my waist. Although I barely ever see them, they think I'm a hero because of what I can build with Legos. "Hey, guys."

"Can I carry your bags?" my father stands a few feet away, leaning up against his car. I smile at him, although it's not fully sincere. I'm actually really angry.

"If you tell me why I'm here," I say, tossing him my backpack. It hits him in the chest and he grunts, his lack of brute strength obvious.

He doesn't answer, just stuffs my bags into the trunk and opens the door for me. I slip in, staring out the window. We begin to drive.

"So where's Kim?" I ask, after about ten minutes of silence only interrupted by the sound of my brothers' video games.

"She's at home. Making dinner for us all." My father glances over at me, "Be nice to her, Annabeth. She's your stepmother."

"Right," I hold back a bitter laugh, my emotions getting the better of me. I try to think of different things, such as the architectural genius of the Golden Gate Bridge, which I can see from atop the hill we're driving over. I let my mind run through fact after fact that I know, and when I finish, I find ourselves park outside of my father's place.

It's a townhome, cramped between two other houses on a steep street leading towards the water. It's painted blue. There used to be a small wind-chime owl hanging from the porch, but my guess is that Kim got angry and took it down. It's what she does.

My brothers and father drag my luggage up the stairs and through the door, but I find myself standing outside, staring down the street. Everything in me feels heavier than it should. I'm not supposed to be here. Camp is home. Not this place.

"Coming?" I hear my father call from the door.

"Give me a minute," I swallow a lump in my throat, "Wait. Dad?"

He turns towards me, "Yes?"

"Can I borrow your phone? I was supposed to call my friends when I got here safely."

"Can't you use the one inside?" He licks his lips. My father is very protective of his technology.

"I'd like some privacy." I plead with my eyes. I know he can't ignore the eyes. They're my real mothers.

He sighs and clops down the steps to hand me his cell phone. Then he retreats back into his home, closing the door, thank gods.

He picks up on the first ring. "Hello?" His voice lifts a weight off my shoulders.

"I'm here." I say, about to hang up. This is supposed to be a short call. I'm pinging monsters just by calling him, and he's doing the same.

"Wait!" He knows I'm about to shut the phone, "Are you alright?"

"Percy, I have to hang up now," I say, "I'll see you soon."

"Okay. Love you, Wise Girl." His line cuts off, and I shut the phone, breathing deeply. Him asking if I was alright makes me feel sick to my stomach. I know I'm not alright. This all feels so wrong.

I tuck a strand of hair behind my ear and make my way up the steps, through the door, and up to my old room. It looks nothing like it did when I lived here, which is fantastic, because if it did, I wouldn't be able to stay in this room. This is where the spiders first came.

Now, however, the once yellow walls are a light beige, and the carpet has been changed to a chocolate colored plush. The bed is bigger, the furniture is fancier; it looks like a guest room. I'm fine with this, because in reality, I am just a guest in this house.

I fall back onto the bed and let out a groan, looking up at the ceiling fan, watching it spin. I can smell dinner down stairs, which I hate to admit makes my stomach growl. But I won't eat here tonight.

"Hello," her voice is there, in the doorway, and I sit up to see her.

"Kim," I nod politely, because I have to. She's a pretty Korean lady, strict enough to wear a string of pearls, but sassy enough to have a streak of red in her otherwise black hair. Seeing it reminds me of the time I had a gray streak in my own hair, just like Percy's, and my heart aches.

"Dinner will be ready soon." She wipes her hands on her apron, staring at me.

"I actually ate in Denver," I lie smoothly, "I'm not very hungry. But thank you." I pray to Athena that my stomach will not deceive me with a growl. To my relief, it stays quiet.

"I've been preparing this dinner all day!" Kim's eyebrows raise, "It's quite disrespectful to not eat at least some of it."

"What is it?" I raise my eyebrows as well, challenging her.

"Beef Burgundy."

"I'm vegetarian," I lie again.

"You can have the soup I made as an appetizer. Cream of potato."

"Does it have leeks in it?"

"Yes, why?"

"I'm allergic."

Kim throws her hands in the air, holding back some kind of guttural noise that I would have just made. She shows some restraint, but it's my goal this month to completely break her.

She stomps back down the steps, and I hear her begin complaining loudly to my father about how ungrateful I am. Quickly, so I won't be lectured or held up, I write a quick note and leave it on the bed.

_ I'm going for a walk. I'll be back later. Don't worry._

_ -Annabeth_

Then I slip out my window, latch onto the roof, and hoist myself up. I know exactly how to get out of this house. This is the same route I took when I was little.

I leap from our roof to the neighbors, concealed by the dimming light of sunset. I hop from roof to roof until I'm at the corner house, where a ladder leads down the side to the ground. I drop off of it, and begin jogging up the hill, towards where I told Percy I'd meet him.

When I see him sitting on the bench, I feel so relieved I almost start to cry. I manage to contain myself, though. His eyes meet mine and he grins, coming towards me and wrapping me into his arms.

"Told you it would work," he whispers in my ear.

"We're not done yet, Seaweed Brain." I tell him back. He pulls away a few inches to look me in the eye.

"Are we ever done?" he chuckles, leaning down and pressing his mouth to mine. I kiss him back fervently, soaking in the fact that he's here with me. In those moments, I feel like maybe I will survive this version of hell.

"Are you as hungry as I am?" I ask as we pull away. He intertwines our fingers, keeping me close.

"Starved. Any good pizza places around here?"

"Plenty," I say, beginning to lead him towards a familiar street lined with stores and restaurants, "You know, Kim was making Beef Burgundy. It smelled fantastic."

"And you turned it down?" he gapes at me.

"For you, of course. And, I kind of told her I was a vegetarian." I laugh quietly.

"You? You were born and raised on barbeque." he laughs with me.

I find the pizza parlor and find it full except for the last table, which Percy and I claim. He holds my hands across the table and searches my face, "You never told me if you were okay."

"I am now." I smile at him, "You pretty much saved me from hell."

He shrugs, "You'd do the same for me."

We order the Meat Lover's pizza, in ironic tribute to my stepmother. It's so good, we eat the whole thing in ten minutes.

"So how am I getting into your room tonight?" he asks, sipping his Coke.

"I'll leave the window open a crack. I'll show you how to get onto the roof, where you can wait until I give you some sort of all clear."

"When I first met you, I would never have pegged you as a rebel. You're truly a naughty little girl, aren't you?"

"Oh, shut up." I punch his shoulder playfully, "You can leave your suitcase under the bed. You'll have to get up when I do. No sleeping in."

He sighs, "Fine."

Percy pays the bill with a twenty that Sally lent him, and we make our way towards the Chase home. I teach Percy the way to my roof, and then leave him up there. I decide to enter through the front door, so it'll be less suspicious.

"Where did you go?" Kim stands there with her arms crossed, ready for when I walked through the door. She holds a wooden spoon, as if she was still cooking.

I shrug nonchalantly, "Down to the bay."

"It's been three hours." She hisses, "Bobby and Matthew are in bed. They want you to say goodnight to them."

"Okay, I will." I begin up the stairs but she stops me.

"What you will not do is sneak out again without permission. You shouldn't be wandering around at night."

"Do you actually care, or are you just trying to punish me?" I spit back at her. Her eyes widen and she swallows. "Look, Kim. I'll try not to kill you if you stop pretending to be my mother." And with that, I charge up the steps.

Bobby and Matthew are already asleep by the time I enter their rooms, so I just whisper "goodnight" under my breath and retreat to my room, locking the door behind me. I change into my pajamas, a tank top and Soffes. Then I brush my teeth, and pull my hair up. I turn off the light, which is Percy's signal, but just as he slips through my window there's a knock on my door. In panic, Percy slaps my Yankees cap on his head and stands in the corner, completely invisible.

"What?" I mutter through the door.

"Just wanted to say goodnight," My father's voice comes from the other side.

"Goodnight." I tell him back.

"Annabeth?"

"What?"

"I'm going to need you to apologize to Kim. She's very upset."

I groan, "Later. I'm tired."

"Promise you will?"

"I'm not five anymore, Dad." I tell him back. It's silent for a moment or two, and then I hear him walking down the steps. Just to be safe, I listen for a few moments. Then, in the silence, I hear the slight creak of his bed downstairs, telling me he's just gone to sleep.

Percy shimmers back to existence. He looks at me with a strange, unfamiliar expression. I recognize it as pity.

"Don't even," I tell him, "Just kiss me goodnight, and sleep."

He pulls me in to his arms and plants a kiss on my forehead, and for a moment, he just holds me. Despite my hatred of shame, this is exactly what breaks me down. I begin to cry, quietly so as not to wake up the rest of my family. Percy runs his hands up and down my spine soothingly, letting me bury my face in his neck.

When I've calmed down enough to speak without stuttering, I wipe my eyes, whispering "Sorry."

"Don't apologize." He mutters back, "Tomorrow will be better."

I slip into bed as Percy changes, stripping down to boxers and climbing in next to me. He pulls me close, and drapes his arm around me naturally, his fingertips brushing against my stomach. I fall asleep in moments.

_ My mother glares at me from Olympus. My real mother. Not Kim. She's uncomfortable with the way Percy and I are sleeping._

_ "Just let them be," Aphrodite appears beside Athena, her dress a shimmer of rainbows, "Without him, she'd have lost it by now."_

_ "That is exactly what I predict," Athena snaps back, "If they get caught, it will not be Annabeth's fault."_

_ "Perseus is not that clumsy." Aphrodite says, a little unenthusiastically._

_ "Clumsiness will not be his downfall. He'll assume she cannot handle herself in that house. He'll defend her. Someone will end up hurt. There is no strategy where this turns out well."_

_ "Have a little faith." Aphrodite hums, "I'll help them if I need to."_

_ "As will I. Yet even we are not invincible."_

_ "You're really afraid of this Kim lady, aren't you?"_

_ "I am not capable of fear." My mother hisses._

_ "Fine. Not afraid. You're… jealous!" Aphrodite's eyes widen in recognition of the emotion on Athena's face._

_ "I am a goddess. She is a mortal. What is there of hers that I can be jealous of?"_

_ "Frederick. Annabeth. Bobby. Matthew." Aphrodite shrugs, "Athena, what is it that you are truly thinking?"_

_ Athena swallows, "If they mess this up, Annabeth will have no family."_

_ Aphrodite laughs, tinkling and gentle, "Annabeth's family is eternal."_

_ "She does not consider me family. The Chase family will disown her."_

_ With that reply, Aphrodite smiles, "Annabeth let go of the name 'Chase' long ago."_

_ Athena realizes what the love goddess means, and purses her lips, muttering, "Annabeth Jackson. You are right. She's already not part of the Chase family."_


	25. Chapter 25

**((A/N To those asking if the story is over... No. It's not! I'm still going to keep writing, because it's a better pass-time than stuffing my face with any leftover food from the refrigerator. So... Happy Spring Break! And I get bored with the story line, I'll be sure to warn ya'll before shutting it down.))**

Everything is perfect. For about two weeks.

The school year starts and, if I was raised normally, I would be attending my senior year of high school. My parents wanted to enroll me at a nearby prep academy, but I convinced them to let me take online courses instead. Percy's doing the same, and every day we meet up at the local library to take advantage of their wifi. So, that started off great.

There's also the issue of me 'not having any friends'. My father thinks it's going to mess me up psychologically or something. Kim doesn't care.

Our overall plan runs smoothly for exactly fourteen days. And then, this happens:

"What do you miss most about New York?" My father asks from across the dining room table, spooning more soup from his bowl.

"Everything," I tell him.

"Well, what do you like about California?" he tries again.

"The architecture." I shrug.

Kim glances up at me, "You really have a one track mind."

"That's actually not true. I'm ADHD. I have a billion-track mind," I challenge her. I don't know why I egg her on, but with this lady, I have no filter.

Kim begins to say something back, but my dad cuts her off. "Have you contacted your friends lately?"

"I've been using Iris messaging." When I say this, Kim crinkles her nose.

"You're using magic in my house?" she raises her eyebrows.

"It's not magic. And this is _our_ house."

Once more, my father swoops in, "How are your friends? You still keep contact with the bunch that visited me once?"

"Of course," I mutter, "Except for Zoe. She died."

Kim spews her mouthful of soup into the air. I bite back my opportunity to laugh.

"It's fine, really. She loved stars." I say, a small smile on my face.

"The others are alive, though, right? Thalia? Grover? Percy?" my dad inquires hopefully.

"Oh, yeah." I nod, swallowing. The subject of Percy never came up before.

"He seemed to like you."

"Who?" I say, trying to act surprised.

"Percy, of course!"

"Oh, yeah."

"He's quite charming." Kim butts in, analyzing my face. Can she see through me?"

"Is he?" I dip my head lower towards my soup bowl.

"Annabeth, honey, you're turning bright red."

"Am I?" Smooth as butter.

"You like him, don't you?" At this point, I'm ready to flip Kim across the table.

"Yes, I actually do." No point in lying.

"Annabeth's got a boyfriend!" Bobby and Matthew chant, finally joining into the conversation.

"Yes, I actually do."

I wasn't expecting the silence that follows. All eyes are on me, and I've never liked attention.

"You're dating him?" my father asks, peering at me from over his glasses. Despite his scrawniness, I've never felt more intimidated by him.

"Eight months," I answer awkwardly.

"Eight months!" he exclaims, "You haven't told me about this!"

"Yeah, well, you never asked. In fact, you never even contacted me until last month. And then, surprise! I get to move back in with this lovely family, in this lovely city, as far away from all of my friends and family as possible!"

"_We_ are your family." Kim glares at me.

I scoff, "Families don't treat each other like this." And with that, I turn and stomp out of the kitchen. I'm about to ascend the stairs, but Kim grabs my wrist and pulls me down, fire in her eyes. I yank my arm from her grasp, glaring right back at her.

"We were a perfect family before you showed up." She hisses under her breath, so that my father and brothers can't hear her.

"I was here before you, remember?" Keeping my voice low as well, hoping not to scare Bobby and Matthew.

"Frederick _chose _me. You were an inconvenient surprise." She says. Before I know what I'm doing, I lash out and slap her across the face.

She blinks in surprise and brushes her fingers against her cheek, unbelieving. I stand there in shock as well, which is exactly why my reflexes are muddled as Kim retaliates with a fist across my jaw. I sit backward hard on my butt, dazed as to what just happened. For a skinny woman, she has one hell of a punch.

She raises her eyebrows to me, and then retreats to the kitchen.

I stomp up the stairs, humiliated that a stay-at-home-mom could floor me with one hit. I've defeated millions of monsters. Why is she so much different?

Percy isn't in my room; he stays away during the day, as a precaution, but that's alright because right now, I really just want to be alone.

I don't cry, but I do curl up on my bed and stare at the ceiling fan, counting how many times a single blade makes a full rotation. I get to ninety-six before I doze off.

There's a significant lack of dreams during my nap, but that's probably because I'm only half-asleep. My mind wanders throughout the phases of consciousness.

When I open my eyes again, it's only about an hour later, 8:45 to be exact. My room is dark now, no longer lit by the sunlight through my window. Percy should be arriving soon.

I go to the bathroom, rinse off, and change into pajamas. I grimace when I see myself in the mirror, part my jawline turning light purple. It's not bad, barely visible, but I know Percy will notice. And then he'll ask questions that I don't want to answer.

In my suitcase, I have a small bag of make-up that I keep for emergencies or special occasions. I go to retrieve it, but right as my hands close around the bottle I hear the window slide open.

Gritting my teeth, I face towards the bathroom so that Percy can only see one side of my face. I try to lunge for the bathroom, but he grabs my arms and pulls me into a hug, which I try not to melt into.

"I missed you," He says, per routine.

"I missed you, too." I tell him back, trying to unravel myself to get to the bathroom.

"Is everything okay?" he asks as I wriggle away from him.

"Yeah, I just really have to pee." I swallow, taking a step towards the bathroom.

"What's in your hand?" He asks quietly. I freeze.

"Uh…"

"Annabeth," I feel his hand on my shoulder, and I squeeze my eyes shut as I turn to look at him.

"Yes?"

"What's going on?"

I open my eyes to see him staring at me in a way that makes my heart somersault. His eyes search mine, and then wander across my face, finally resting on my bruise. He reaches up and barely touches it with his fingertips.

"I was wrestling with Bobby and Matthew," I shrug, already knowing he can see that I'm lying.

"Who hit you? Did you kill them?" his eyes widen.

"I didn't murder anyone, Seaweed Brain." I sigh, turning away from him and plopping onto my bed.

"Well then, I will. Who hit you?" He asks again. I can almost see rage bubbling inside of him.

"Chill out! I've been stabbed, bitten, and broken before. I can handle a bruise."

"It's different," he runs his hands over his face, "When I was eleven, I got a bruise identical to yours. I ate the last piece of leftover meatloaf, and Gabe punched me right in the mouth."

Now I feel what he must feel: white hot rage. Just the thought of eleven-year old Percy rolling with the punches of his stepfather makes me nauseous. "Percy…"

"And you were going to try and hide it from me?" he reaches forward and pries the make-up from my fist, tossing it onto the floor.

"I knew you wouldn't believe I could handle it. But I can. Before you showed up in my life, I handled myself just fine." I feel small in the audience of his fire.

"If this happens again…" he mutters under his breath. Which is good. We were starting to raise our voices, which could alert Kim and Frederick to his presence.

"If it happens again, I'll kill her myself." I assure him.

"Her?" his eyes snap back up to my face, "It was Kim?"

"I slapped her first." I mumble.

"Slaps and punches are different. Trust me." His eyes flare up again.

"Will you just trust _me_?" I say, standing up and walking over to him.

"You know I do." He whispers, "But can we at least rock-paper-scissors on who gets to kill her?"


	26. Chapter 26

**((A/N Sorry it's been awhile. Hope you guys like this chapter! I went for action over romance this chapter, but let me know if you prefer fluff, and R&R :)))**

After a month, Percy and I are getting extremely paranoid. We haven't been attacked in what seems like forever in demigod time, which is strange because to monsters, we must reek. The more powerful the demigod, the stronger the scent, right? Well, Percy's a son of the Big Three, and I'm not too shabby myself. We should be smell-able from miles away.

Now, I walk down the street with a grip on my knife at all times, although it looks like my hand is just stuffed in my pocket. Percy has adopted the habit of twirling Riptide, in pen form, through his fingers, although I'm not crazy about the idea of the cap falling off and him decapitating himself on accident. It just seems like something Percy would do.

"He looks pretty weird," Percy leans over the library desk and whispers to me, breaking my concentration from my Calculus book. I glance up briefly, my eyes barely passing over the guy Percy is referring to.

"We live in San Francisco. A lot of people are going to look pretty weird." I tell him, exasperated. He's been scouring the library for possible monsters for two hours now, and to him, every single person with a nose piercing or a tattoo is worth checking out. I don't really have the heart to remind him that monsters usually look like absolutely _normal _people.

"Oh! She's limping. A limp is a surefire sign of-"

"Clumsiness?" I interrupt, dropping my book to look over at him, "Percy, I'm actually doing schoolwork. If you want to blow it off, be my guest, but please stop distracting me."

His lips twitch into a frown and he goes back to twirling his pen. I kind of feel guilty, but I shake the feeling off and return to my studying.

About five minutes later, Percy nudges me with his elbow. "Annabeth."

"Percy." I answer, not looking up from my book.

"That boy is staring at you." He whispers.

"Is he cute?" I ask, smirking.

"Not funny. Really, I think-"

_BAM!_ We're on the ground. The table we were sitting at flies off behind us, and screaming erupts from the lobby.

"Told you," Percy smiles before standing, Riptide already drawn. I whip up next to him, knife in hand. My eyes skim over our surroundings, but I can't see anyone.

"Who was it?" I ask Percy, shifting so that we're back-to-back.

"Some kid. He was, like, six."

"A six year old kid just took us both down in one sweep?" My brain is running a thousand miles an hour, "Well that's humbling."

"There!" I scream as something hurtles out from behind a bookcase. I lunge towards it, but when I realize what it is, I scream again and dive away. Everything behind me explodes, and I frantically stomp on a nearby book that has burst into flames. Thank the gods it's not Greek fire.

Percy has already jumped into action, batting the grenades away with the flat side of his sword. He aims pretty well, and one returns to behind the bookcase just as it explodes, sending a small boy clawing his way out of the wreckage.

At first, I think he's a demigod. I take a step forward to help him out of the debris, but Percy puts his arm up to stop me. The boy begins to writhe on the floor, his skin turning pale purple, his eyes clouding up until they are fully black. He shrinks in size, to about three feet tall, and his clothes turn to dust.

"Ewe, dude. Could you put your pants back on?" Percy comments.

I grab Percy's elbow and pull him back a step, "Kobalos."

"Gesundheit?"

"No, Seaweed Brain, it's a Kobalos. A sprite of fright and mischief."

"So, we're fighting a sprite?" he looks at me like I'm crazy, "Aren't they supposed to be, like, buddies with Mr. D?"

"Dionythuth… That idiot." For the first time, the Kobalos speaks, "After he became counthelor at your thtupid camp, we turned againtht him."

"Um… is something wrong with your mouth? You sound like the godfather with a lisp. Or like you ate a bowl of hornets for breakfast. Or like-"

"Percy!" I scold him, and then turn to the sprite, "What is it you want?"

The Kobalos shrugs, "Entertainment. It'th jutht tho boring now, sinthe all of the demigodth go to your thtupid camp. Mortalth can't thee uth, tho they aren't thcared."

"Could you repeat that… a little slower?" Percy looks like his brain is on overdrive. I place my hand on his shoulder, and he instantly relaxes.

"I'm sorry about the lack of entertainment, but really, trying to blow us up isn't the solution. I mean, if we die, then who will you taunt?" I ask.

"Good point. You are intelligent…" the Kobalos smirks, "But I am ath well. Pertheuth Jackthon cannot die."

"Oh, sure he can. If you accidentally hit him in the wrong place, he could just fall over dead." I say, succeeding at capturing the Kobalos's attention. Percy, on the other hand, tenses up again.

"Fine. If you get me thomething I have alwayth wanted, I will leave you alone."

"Like what?"

The Kobalos blushes, which turns his indigo cheeks violet, "A girlfriend."

Now, Percy probably should have kept his mouth shut at this point. But, let's be realistic; this is Percy. He has to comment on everything. "A girlfriend? To what… blow up? Tar and feather? Throw homemade stink bombs at? Dude, no way does any girl want that kind of relationship."

"Well, I actually _am_ a girl. And I think I know just the person." I butt in, hoping Percy doesn't get us blown up or worse.

"Who?" Kobalos and Percy ask simultaneously.

"Someone who is bored out of her mind. She's gorgeous, bored, and loves messing with her sisters." When I say this, Percy's eyes light up in remembrance.

"Erato," He answers, "That's brilliant!"

"Here…" I bend over and pluck a piece of paper and pencil from the ground, and write a quick note to my favorite muse, "Just tell her that Annabeth and Percy approve of the love poem she'd had in mind to write, and she'll pretty much fall in love with you on the spot." I reach forward and hand the slip of paper to the sprite, who stares up at me in awe.

The moment after he gets a grip on the envelope, he dissipates into purple gas.

"A thank you would have been nice," Percy waves his hand through the smoke, coughing for effect.

Sirens wail outside of the library, which breaks me back into reality. "Get the hat on!" I nearly yell at Percy, and he slaps it on almost immediately before firemen flood the room.

"Young lady! Are you alright?" One jogs up to me. I force a few tears to my eyes, and cough so hard it rattles, but I still nod. I need to get them to believe that I'm traumatized, but okay. "Did you see what happened?" he asks.

"I…I…" I let my voice quiver, and then shake my head, wiping my face with my sleeve, praying to Zeus that I'm convincing. I guess it works, because he leads me out to the ambulance, where they do a quick check over me, and then release me.

I turn down a police officer's offer to give me a ride home, since 'I live five minutes from here', which isn't actually true, but I'm not going to leave Percy. I begin the walk home, and once the library is out of sight, Percy shimmers into existence next to me.

"How long were you right beside me?" I ask him, impressed at his silence.

"The whole time," he winks, "Good acting back there."

"Was it really?" my eyes widen in appreciation.

"No. You are literally the worst liar ever," He laughs, "I'm surprised they let you go without questioning."

"I'm that bad?" I pout, disappointed.

"Hey, that's alright. I'm a terrible liar too."

"You are?"

"No, I lied. I'm a great liar." He laughs, and I join in.


	27. Chapter 27

**((A/N Here's Chapter 27. You people are like vultures when it comes to updating! But lovely vultures. R&R! :)))**

On Saturday evening, it starts to rain. The moment I hear the first splatter against my window, I close my book and shift to the edge of the bed, eyes wide. It hasn't rained in weeks, and since Kim has outlawed Iris messaging in the house, I haven't been able to see my friends in just as long.

I pull a jacket on over my T-shirt and flip the hood up. Before climbing onto the roof, I grab a drachma from the hidden stash in my desk drawer, as well as a perforated piece of plastic wrap.

It's chilly outside, but not so cold that I shiver. Besides, I'm in a great mood. Who cares if it's cold?

I hold the plastic wrap in my hand and let a small pool of water gather there. Then I lift the edges and hold it up, a steady needlepoint of water dropping from a hole in the makeshift bag. The wind breaks the stream into mist, and I flip the drachma into it, watching it disappear. "Oh Iris, goddess of rainbows, show me Grover Underwood at Camp Half-Blood."

The air shimmers, and my satyr best friend appears, lazily chewing on a Coca-Cola can. His back is to me, and so I have to call his name to get his attention.

"Annabeth!" He spins around, surprised. I see that he's in the strawberry fields, and the sky is dark. It's nine o'clock in New York. "Oh my gods! You got an Iris message through!"

"I wasn't having trouble before. I just wasn't allowed." I roll my eyes.

"Allowed? You're seventeen. Come on."

"I know, right?" I smile, realizing how much I've actually missed him.

"Lame. Hey, is it… raining there?" he squints.

"Yeah! It's crazy. We never got rain at camp."

"Tell me about it. Juniper's always complaining about being dehydrated." He sighs, and then looks over his shoulder as if she could be standing right behind him.

"How is she? How is everyone?" I ask eagerly.

"Good, good. We're all fine. We've gotten so many new campers since you've left. I mean really, the gods and goddesses haven't really been practicing abstinence, if you know what I mean," he winks.

"Gross," I stick my tongue out.

"So where's Percy?" Grover asks, stepping forward as if he could stick his head through the Iris message and look around.

"I think he went jogging on the beach or something. He's probably heading back now, since it's raining. Not that water bothers him."

"How's your living arrangement working out?" he raises his eyebrows. He has made it clear that he thinks smuggling Percy into my room every night is a bad idea.

"Fine, actually." I tell him smugly.

"Any monster attacks lately?"

"Yesterday at the library. But we figured it out." I sniff, my nose beginning to run.

"You might want to get inside. You get really moody when you're sick." He jokes.

"I do not! Besides, I think I can handle a little rain."

"Right. I forgot. You're Annabeth." He grins, bits of aluminum in his teeth.

"Oh, go brush your teeth. Hippie."

"We're almost out of time," Grover's smile flattens a bit, "We miss you guys. Tell Percy I said hey?"

"Of course. Love you, goat boy."

"You too." He waves his hand through the message, his image dissipating.

I pull my knees to my chest and look out at the shoreline through the dull grayness of the evening thunderstorm. My heart twists inside of my chest, but I can't figure out why.

I stay on the roof even when the lightning starts, my thoughts wandering to Thalia. I wonder how she's doing, and contemplate messaging her, but it's usually the better choice for her to contact me, since I never know where she is with the Hunters. For all I know, she could be in China, or next door.

My mind locks onto the subject of the Hunters, and for a moment, I let myself think about how my life would be different if I'd joined them so long ago. I wouldn't be here, in San Francisco, battling with a family who never really accepted me. I wouldn't be paranoid about monster attacks, waiting for them to come to me instead of the other way around. I would have my friends close.

But I wouldn't have Percy. It hurts to even think of turning him down for some pointless thing like immortality.

As if on cue, he pulls himself onto the roof from the neighbor's escape ladder, locking eyes with me and cocking his head to the side. It's too loud a thunderstorm for him to call from where he is, but when he leaps to my roof, he squats beside me. "Is everything okay?"

"Yeah, everything's fine." I tell him, leaning in and pecking his lips. He's completely dry, despite the fact that his hood is down.

"Why are you out here?"

"Just thinking. I Iris messaged Grover earlier."

"Earlier? Annabeth, how long have you been outside?" he wraps an arm around me, and I feel the wetness of the rain seep out of my clothes. He's drying me, which is both cool and weird.

"I don't know, thirty minutes?" I shrug. I don't get why it's such a big deal.

Percy helps me shift down the roof towards my window, since the roof is sort of slippery now, and I swing into my room first, scouting out to make sure no one is in my room to see Percy.

Someone is.

"Bobby!" I yelp, loud enough that I hope Percy can hear me from the roof. He doesn't swing in behind me, so I assume he heard.

"I'm looking for my Lego storm trooper. Have you seen him?" my brother's blue eyes look up at me. Studying me. "Weren't you just outside?"

My heart leaps into my throat, "Uh…"

"Why aren't you wet?" Bobby asks. Stupid Chase genes, making us kids ridiculously observant.

"I… uh… Had an umbrella. But when I came through the window, I dropped it." Percy's right. I am a terrible liar.

"Oh, okay." By some miracle he either believes me, or doesn't care enough to pry. "So you haven't seen him?"

"Who?" I ask, heart beating wildly.

Bobby eyes me, "My Lego storm trooper."

I let out a breath I hadn't realized I was holding, "Oh. I think he's on your bookshelf, in the castle I built the other day."

My brother's eyes light up, "Right! Thanks Annie." He strolls out, shutting my door behind him.

"Clear," I stick my head out, signaling Percy. I move out of the way just as he swoops inside.

"Lego castle, huh?" he teases, running his fingers through his hair.

I punch him in the gut playfully, and he falls backwards onto the bed dramatically. "Don't even talk, Jackson. I know you had an Easy Bake Oven until you were thirteen."

"I made the best freaking cookies ever," he grumbles.

I pull my jacket off and hang it off of the bathroom door, despite the fact that it's as dry as it was before I went outside. "That was too close."

"What, Bobby?" he snorts, "That was nothing compared to this afternoon."

"What happened?" my eyes narrow, and I cross my arms.

Percy sits up and scratches his neck, "Well I was at the store getting some potato chips, and I ran into Kim."

"You _WHAT_?" I exclaim, and then cover my mouth with my hands, staring towards my bedroom door and listening for any sign that my family heard me. After a few moments of silence, Percy continues in a whisper.

"Yeah, she was grocery shopping. I literally ran into her. She didn't recognize me, I don't think, but we made eye contact for, like, two seconds. I almost punched her in the face. Almost." He adds when I gape at him.

"We need to be more careful!" I bite my lip, eyebrows knit.

"I don't see why. I mean, what are they going to do? Kick us out? Isn't that what you want anyways?" he asks sincerely.

"That would be great," I agree, "But if they find out you're here, they might keep me and send you home. And I couldn't survive here alone."

"You turn eighteen in eighty-two days," he points out. Ever since he turned eighteen last month, he's been badgering me about becoming an adult, as if it's my choice to stay an adolescent. "Then you can go and do whatever you want."

"I am _so_ moving back to New York."

"Yeah? The Jackson-Blofis apartment has a spare room." He purses his lips, taking my hand and pulling me toward him. I sit on his lap and turn my face towards his.

"You mean no more sharing with you? Darn." I smile slyly, "And I was getting used to this arrangement."

"Hey, what's mine is yours. We can share anything you want to." He chuckles, leaning in and kissing me slowly. I move my arm so that it wraps around his neck, and he grips my waist. He pulls back after a few seconds, "So why were you on the roof again?"

"I was just thinking," I tell him, staring at his perfect lips.

"About what?" he smiles, his nose touching mine.

"How much I love you." I tell him, which isn't a lie. "How it was a brilliant choice to choose you over the Hunters of Artemis."

"You always do make brilliant choices." He kisses me again, his tongue joining in.

"So I can move in with you when I turn eighteen?" I ask, breaking our kiss for air.

"Of course. We can live together for as long as you'd like." His lips trail to my neck.

"Do we always have to live with Sally and Paul?" I ask, my hands running under his shirt, feeling his bare skin.

"Once we raise up enough money, we can get our own apartment. If that's what you want." He pulls away, eyes searching mine, "I'll follow your lead."

For a second, I think he's talking about kissing. Then I realize he's talking about life, and my throat closes up, "Percy…"

"Just come here," he laughs, pulling me back to him and closing the distance between our lips.


	28. Chapter 28

**((A/N Thanks so much for your reviews. They make me smile :) R&R por favor!))**

I'm drifting into sleep when his voice brings me back to reality. "Annabeth?"

"What?" I mumble into my pillow.

"Sorry. Did I just wake you up?"

"I don't know," I sigh, rubbing my eyes.

"I'm sorry," he apologizes again, "I just had an idea."

I turn my neck to look at him, now awake. "You. Had an idea… You?"

"Hardeehar," he loops his arm around my waist and pulls me closer to him under the sheets. My back presses against his bare chest.

"What was your idea, Seaweed Brain?" I ask when he doesn't elaborate.

He nuzzles his face into my loose hair, "Maybe I could visit San Francisco."

I'm about to tell him that he's in San Francisco, and that he needs some serious sleep. Then I catch on to his plan, "So you won't have to hide out." It's not a question.

"Yeah. You could ask tomorrow, if I could stay here for a week or two. See what your parents say. It'd be great to have a break from hiding out."

"I'll ask, but there's no guarantee." I take the hand that he's thrown over my waist and loop my fingers through his, where they fit so perfectly. "You might have to sleep on the couch."

"That's okay." When he speaks, his breath sweeps over my neck.

My eyes begin to close again, and I'm unable to stop them. This time, Percy doesn't keep me from plunging into dreams.

"Good! You're here!" Poseidon stands, arms spread wide. He's looking… right at me.

"You can see me?" I ask. Usually in dreams, the dreamer is undetectable.

"Of course dear, I called you here." He reaches out and pats me on the shoulder, but I can't feel it. His hand passes right through me. "Darn. I always forget about that. Walk with me, Annabeth?"

"Yes sir." I follow him down the steps of Olympus, which are normally huge, but I somehow float right down without effort.

"It's interesting to watch how my son and yourself interact. Like, even though I have always been immortal, I can remember what being human is like."

"Um… Thanks?" I say, as we weave through the Muses' garden. They're not there. Actually, now that I think about it… no one is. Olympus is empty. "Where is everyone?"

Poseidon glances back at me, "Oh, they're here. We're on a different plane of reality, but they're all around us."

I focus on one spot, and realize that it ripples only slightly, in the shape of a person. Yet, when I walk right through it, nothing happens.

"You do realize you just passed through Lord Ares." Poseidon chuckles from ahead.

I curse in Greek, under my breath. This is weirding me out. "What is it you want to show me?" I ask, although the main question I want to know is how this is happening. I'm almost positive Poseidon has gotten help from Hypnos… maybe some form of subconscious connection. I know that if I ask, though, we could get sidetracked, and these dreams only last a few minutes.

"You haven't been up to Olympus lately. I just thought I'd show you how things look. This in particular." He moves aside, and my eyes land on the statue of Percy, Grover, and I that I built for Olympus. It's even more beautiful and realistic than I'd imagined, shining golden bronze even in the darkness of the evening.

I can't stop myself from running forward and scrutinizing it up close, admiring Hephaestus' flawless work, soaking in every detail. "It's beautiful."

"It is. You should be proud, young one." Poseidon looks down at me, which both makes me feel both the smallest, and biggest I've ever felt.

"Thank you." I tell him, sincerely. He smiles, and with that smile the whole scene brightens into white light.

Compared to the brightness of Poseidon's smile, the sunlight shining through my window seems strangely dim. I roll over to see that it's nine o'clock. I should've been up an hour ago.

I groan and roll out of bed, although I don't really have to hurry because it's Sunday. I've missed breakfast, but that's alright. I'll pick something up when I'm out.

The shower is running in my bathroom, which means Percy's in there.

I stretch and change into shorts and a t-shirt, pulling my still-slightly damp hair from my shower last night into a ponytail.

That's when I hear the footsteps coming up the stairs. I think on my feet, scrambling into the bathroom (thank the gods Percy didn't lock the door), and locking the door behind me. Percy's head sticks out from behind the shower curtain, his eyes wide, his mouth popped open. I think he's about to say something like 'Um… hey… I'm kind of busy…' when there's a knock on the bathroom door.

"Annabeth? Are you in there?" It's my father.

"No, Dad." I say sarcastically over the sound of the shower, "I'm obviously still in bed. Of course I'm in here."

Percy gives me a look that I can't decipher, and then turns the shower off.

"Well, I just wanted to let you know that Kim, the boys, and I are heading off to the beach for a couple of hours. Kim assumed you didn't want to go, because… well…"

"No, it's fine, you guys go. I'll hang around the house today. Maybe catch up on some homework." I tell him, gritting my teeth.

"Okay, honey." My father sighs, and then pauses. "Didn't you take a shower last night?"

I bite my lip, thinking hard. "I rinsed off last night, but I was tired so I didn't wash my hair or anything. Any more questions?"

"No. There's some leftover waffles in the kitchen if you get hungry."

"Okay."

"I love you, Annabeth."

"Yeah, you too Dad." I say, hoping and praying he leaves. After a few minutes of silence, followed by the creaking of the stairs, I let out a breath.

Percy pulls away the shower curtain, a towel wrapped around his waist, and mutters, "Too close."

"Way too close," I agree. Then I remember last night's conversation, "I'll ask if you can 'visit' when they get back."

"Okay," he grins, reminding me of my dream last night. He has his Dad's smile. The smile of a god.

"Okay." I swallow a lump in my throat, stunned by him; simply him.

"So…" he chuckles.

"Oh! Sorry. Right. Naked. Sorry." I can feel the heat rush to my face as I back out of the bathroom and close the door behind me.

Until Percy's done getting ready, I use my laptop to study schematics of the Golden Gate Bridge. When the bathroom is free, I fix my hair, brush my teeth, and get ready for the day.

"So that's two for Annabeth, zero for Percy." He says when I come out of the bathroom.

"What are you talking about?" I pull my eyebrows together.

"Times we've seen each other in a towel. You're in the lead." He chuckles as if he finds it amusing, but all I do is turn a shade of red I'm not used to. "Aw, you're cute when you blush."

"Shut up," I punch his shoulder.

"Make me." He laughs, grabbing my arm and pulling me into a kiss.

When we pull apart, I raise my eyebrows, "Made you."

"Darn. You win again." He smiles.

"I always do. So we have the house to ourselves for a while."

"And waffles!" Percy exclaims.

"And waffles." I agree. We both head downstairs, where I close all the blinds and lock all the doors, just in case my family arrives home earlier than planned.

We heat up the waffles, which are surprisingly good, and the I spend about an hour trying to teach him how to build a house from Legos. In the end, I've built a scale model of the White House. Percy's creation looks more like Chernobyl after the explosion.

Afterwards we curl up on the couch and take advantage of my parents' flat screen which, I admit, is so much better than the tube TV's at camp. Because Percy isn't too interested in the building and destruction of Pompeii, I reluctantly skip over the History Channel. In the end, we end up settling on America's Next Top Model, which you might find strange, but Percy and I both _love _making fun of the girls on it.

"You're five-hundred times more beautiful than Tyra Banks," Percy says.

"Thanks, Seaweed Brain." I reply, not bothering to correct him. After all, Tyra is like, the most successful model ever. Me? I occasionally wear clothing other than t-shirts.

"You don't believe me," He pouts.

"So what?" I shrug, "I don't care what I look like."

"Caring if you're gorgeous and realizing it are two different things." He tucks a loose strand of hair behind my ear.

I gape at him, "That sounded intelligent, Percy!"

"Not all of my brain is seaweed." He smirks.

For the rest of the day we play with my brothers' toys (no judgment allowed), watch TV, kiss occasionally, and lounge around. It may sound boring and uneventful, but it's probably one of the best days ever to me.

When I hear my family pull into the driveway five hours after they left, Percy hurries upstairs. I can't hear him, but I assume he's just pulled himself onto the roof, so I unlock the door and am almost immediately plowed into by Bobby and Matthew, both with sunburnt faces.

"Annie!" one of them exclaims, "The beach was great today. I wish you would have come."

"Sorry dude. Had a bunch of homework." I tell him. My neck snaps back up when Kim and my father come through the door.

"Oh, you made a mess!" Kim cries almost as soon as she's over the threshold. I look back to see Legos everywhere.

"Sorry. I'll pick it all up." I say, bending down and gathering a few into my hand.

"Did you get any work done at all?" my father asks, although not judgmentally. Just curious.

"Yeah, I worked on some economics homework." I lie.

"Good." My father is too flustered to notice, dropping the cooler, inflatable beach ball, and lump of towels he was holding onto the floor.

"Frederick!" Kim scolds, "I just told Annabeth about making a mess!"

"Sorry, dear." My dad winks at me when Kim isn't looking. Great, he's in a good mood. Better ask now.

"So I was talking to Percy over Iris message." I lick my lips, which suddenly feel extremely dry.

"Oh? How is he doing?" my Dad asks.

"He's good. Um… I was wondering if he could visit sometime soon?" I turn it into a question, widening my eyes like I used to when I would ask him for something before I ran away.

"Yeah! Of course!" My father looks genuinely excited. He's always liked Percy.

"Wait a minute, Fred." Kim butts in. I ball my fists at my side. If she ruins this… I swear…

"It's fine, Kim. Percy can use the pull-out couch." My father tells her.

"When will he be arriving?" Kim turns to me. In that moment, I'm absolutely giddy.

"I'm not sure. He wanted to make sure he had permission before booking any means of transportation." I say, careful not to trip myself up on happiness.

"Well, give me a day's notice before he gets here. And this living room had better be clean when I'm done with dinner." Kim says, her tone final, yet more lenient than usual.

"Thank you!" I throw my arms around my father in a hug, our first hug in years.

In my head, I make a connection between my dream last night and this conversation now. Poseidon had a glint in his eye in my dream, like he knew something I didn't. My family went to the beach today, and Matthew said it was awesome. Kim and my father are in a good mood, because of their day. At the beach.

"Thank you," I mutter again. But this time, it's for Percy's dad, not mine.


	29. Chapter 29

Two days later, at exactly 6:12 PM, Percy knocks on the front door, carrying a duffle bag and a backpack. I let Kim answer, giving her the satisfaction of control, but I stand right next to her. Despite the fact that I slept right next to Percy last night, I have to make it seem like I haven't seen him in months, or my parents will be suspicious.

Kim opens the door, and there he stands, as perfect as ever. His face lights up, and he grins, "Mrs. Chase! You're looking well."

"It's nice seeing you again, Percy." Kim smiles back, and I try not to act shocked. I've never thought of Percy as 'that boyfriend': the one that the parents absolutely adore. But maybe, just maybe, something is finally working out in my favor.

"Annabeth," Percy catches my eye, his own sparkling. He drops his backpack off of his shoulder and gathers me into a huge hug. His arms wrap tight around my waist, and his face buries itself in my hair. He is trying way too hard to make this look real, but the moment I pull back slightly and touch my lips to his, I can feel him relax. We pull apart before Kim can even clear her throat.

"Well, you two probably want to… catch up. Percy, make yourself at home. You'll be sleeping on the pull-out in the living room," Kim hesitates before retreating into the kitchen.

I pull Percy's face back towards mine and press my forehead against his. "She totally bought it. She loves you," I whisper under my breath.

"I still don't like her." He mutters. His fingers trace my spine, sending shivers throughout my body.

"Just try to play nice." I breathe.

"That's ironic, coming from you," he winks, his mouth finding mine, and his hands slipping farther down my back. They are just running over my butt when my father walks into the room.

"Oh!" he clears his throat.

Percy shoots away from me, and stands five feet away. He coughs, "Mr. Chase! It's good to see you." He turns some shade of reddish purple.

"You too, son. Kim told me you had just arrived. I didn't know you and Annabeth were already, um, bonding."

"Sorry, sir." Percy ruffles his hair like he always does when he's nervous.

"That's quite alright. I was once a teenaged boy as well." My father laughs, "I understand what you're feeling. Just remember, Percy… This is my house, and she is my daughter."

"Dad." I cut in, "Are you seriously threatening him right now?"

My father chuckles, "Not threatening. Setting boundaries. Now, I'm not quite sure how intimate your relationship is, so I'm just going to set some ground rules."

"Oh gods…" I mumble, covering my face with my hands.

"Rule number One: No PDA in front of Bobby and Matthew… It confuses them."

"Dad, stop."

"Two: Do not leave clothing laying around."

"Dad… seriously…"

"Three: No glove, no love."

I swear, I almost pass out.

"Can do, Mr. Chase." Percy seems to have mustered some composure.

"Good. Dinner will be ready in twenty minutes." And with that, he smirks, pats Percy on the shoulder, and leaves.

* * *

"He was trying to give me a heart attack. I could see it in his eyes." I grumble, running a brush through my hair.

"You could see it in his eyes?" Percy snorts, "Annabeth, we both know that was bound to happen. The whole 'boyfriend awkwardly meets father' concept is ancient. I'm just glad he doesn't have a shotgun."

"Why are you worried about a shotgun when he owns a World War II bomber plane? I laugh.

"Forgot about that." He groans, scratching his head. His voice lowers to a whisper, "I'm going to miss sleeping next to you."

"I know," I sigh, putting the brush down and turning to look at him, "I will too."

"Who's going to hold me when I have nightmares?" Percy pouts, his eyes widening. He looks like a dejected puppy.

"I have a solution to that. Just dream of us." I smile, leaning forward and pecking his lips.

"I would like that." He smiles back, kissing the top of my head. "Goodnight, Wise Girl."

"Night Seaweed Brain." I say as he exits my room and shuffles downstairs.

* * *

I do dream of us. Overall, my dream includes us on a much needed vacation to the Caribbean. It's a very good dream, although it seems short. When I wake up, I feel like I've only been asleep an hour or two.

My eyes open to darkness. I try to reach out and find Percy's body, not remembering that he's not in my bed with me tonight. Before that can even register, though, I realize that I can't move.

I try to roll onto my side for comfort, but as my awareness strengthens, I can feel the cool metal of shackles around my wrists. My eyes snap open, and my heart races into overdrive.

I'm not in my room. I'm not even in my house. Actually, I have no idea where I am. It's dark in this tiny room, the only light radiating from a candle set on the ground in the corner opposite my bed. Next to a door.

I struggle for a moment, still comprehending my situation. It's either nighttime, or there are no windows wherever I am. There is a door, but I can't move because my wrists are chained to the wall, above the only furniture in the room: a small, metal framed bed with a thin mattress. I'm still dressed in my pajamas: a tank top and Soffes. Despite my lack of clothing, I'm sweating. It's hot. Not like San Francisco hot, but like Equator hot.

"Hello?" I call out as loud as I dare. I seriously doubt whoever put me here is an ally or a friend, considering my accommodations are quite limited. And, well, they kidnapped me.

It's silent for almost a minute. Then, the door to my cell swings open, slamming into the wall with such force, the bang makes me jump.

In what limited light there is in the room, I can't make out much of my visitor's face. I can tell that it's a boy, probably a bit older than me, tall and muscular.

I muster up whatever courage I can. "Hey. So, it's great to have a break from my family, but I'd really like to go home. If you could just, I don't know, let me go-"

He cuts me off with a single, sharp laugh. "But you just got here!"

"Oh, did I? I'm sorry, it's hard to keep track of time in a black, windowless dungeon." My rage is spilling into sass, which isn't always the smartest move. I quickly assess the situation, but unless this boy gets two feet closer, there's no way I can even touch him.

"Annabeth Chase, you have been called to duty," he shifts slightly, and I catch a glimpse of his face. He has close-cropped black hair and dark eyes.

"By whom, may I ask?" I cock my head to the side, ignoring the fact that the fact that I'm facing him makes the shackles dig into my wrists.

"Classified."

"So you want me to do something for someone, but you won't tell me who or what?" I catch this boy's eye, and in the dim light, I see him smirk. Not evil. Just curious.

"Your file will be sent to you later on today." He briefs me.

"Hey, can I ask you something?" I raise my eyebrows. It's a shallow attempt, if it can even be called that, but I need answers.

"No."

"What's your name?" I ask anyways.

He stares at me in silence, sizing me up. Then, he slips towards the door. Just as it's closing behind him, he sticks his head in and mutters, "Reagan." And then he disappears once more.

**((A/N Pretty short chapter, and not much detail, but I wanted to set this next dilemma up. Next chapter will be in Percy's POV (EXCITED MUCH?)... Whaddaya guys thinking of this new character so far? Next chapter will be up soon :) R&R!))**


	30. Chapter 30

**((A/N Chapter 30! :) I decided that this story was getting sort of slow, so I'm adding in some adventure, for those of you who are slightly confused haha))**

She's not here.

I woke up to the smell of bacon. After slipping into my clothes for the day, I entered the kitchen to greet Kim for the morning, since Annabeth made me promise to not express my hatred. Kim asked if I would wake Annabeth. And so, I went up to her room, knocked on her door, peeked in and…

She's not here.

It's been five hours since I found Annabeth's bed empty. I've helped the Chase family (who don't seem too worried) search every corner of the house, but she isn't here. Bobby and Matthew seem confused, Kim seems indifferent, and Frederick seems unsurprised. But I'm freaking out.

First off, she would have told me if she was going somewhere. Second, her bed is unmade; being the perfectionist she is, Annabeth physically cannot leave a bed made undone. And third, _she would have told me if she was going somewhere._

I try to IM her, but the signal is lost before I can even make a visual connection. I've called the library, Camp Half-Blood, my mother… everyone I can think of that might have even the slightest idea where she is. But it's like she's fallen off the face of the Earth.

Kim makes me sit down at the table for lunch, but I just stare at the sandwich with eyebrows furrowed, thinking harder than I have in a while. My head begins to hurt, and all I want is for Annabeth to be here to make fun of me.

After eating lunch (or… staring at lunch…), I climb up onto the roof from Annabeth's window, and run my fingers through my hair.

_ You shouldn't be freaking out so badly. She can take care of herself._

_ But what if she can't? What if she's hurt?_

_ And what if she's perfectly fine, and you're worrying for no reason?_

_ She's gone. No notice, no warning, no note, no nothing._

_ How many times has she proven herself stronger than you think?_

_ That's not the point!_

I let out a guttural groan that has been building inside of me for hours. I know I shouldn't be this worried. I should relax. It's only been a few hours. But there are always reasons to doubt.

I climb back inside after debating with myself for a while, and decide to process her bedroom for any evidence of… whatever happened.

Her sheets are pulled down instead of to the side, as if someone removed her from her own bed. There aren't any footprints, and the window would have been too difficult an escape route if her kidnapper had to lug around her unconscious body. He must've gone down the steps… right past my sleeping self.

I let her be taken, right from under my nose?

I shake my head, clearing that thought from my mind. Blaming myself right now would only make things worse. I have to think like Annabeth right now. I have to prioritize.

What would Annabeth do?

Instinctually, I drop onto my knees and peer under her bed. Empty. I check the bathroom, and at first glance, I see nothing. Then, out of the corner of my eye, something glimmers.

Stashed quickly underneath a few tissues in the trash can, a small syringe protrudes from the pile. It's empty. Used.

I feel sick to my stomach.

Annabeth is a light sleeper. An assailant would have had to drug her to keep her under.

No monster would be smart and stealthy enough to pull off a kidnapping. This had to be a person.

What the hell is going on?

I drop the needle onto the counter and close my eyes, feeling totally and completely helpless.

In a fit of rage and desperation, I turn on the shower and wave my hand to form the water into mist. I practically throw a drachma into the rainbow. "Oh Iris, goddess of rainbows, _please_. Show me Annabeth Chase, location unknown."

I don't expect it to work, and so I automatically pulled back my fist to punch through the mist and dissipate the uncreated image. I freeze this time, though. Because I see her.

"Annabeth!" I cry. Her neck snaps towards the sound of my voice, and she immediately bursts into tears, which breaks me.

"Seaweed Brain, oh my gods…" she chokes out.

"Where are you? Are you okay?" I ask, analyzing her. Her face is clean and unbruised, which is a good sign. But she's holding her body awkwardly, as if placed uncomfortably.

"I… don't know," she swallows, pulling herself together. "It's really dark, and there's this guard guy that says I'm here to fulfill some duty or something… But I can't leave."

"Next time he comes in, snap his neck," I growl, unable to contain my anger.

"Um… Well I can't really." She holds up her wrists, which are red and chaffed by her shackles, some places bleeding. "What's really weird is," she continues, "He doesn't treat me badly."

"He chained you to a wall," I point out.

She shakes her head, her curls bouncing. "I mean he doesn't seem to like keeping me prisoner."

"Well then, make friends with him and have him break you out."

"It's not that simple, Percy."

I growl, "Figure out where you are. I'll IM you every two hours. Once you figure it out, I'm coming to get you."

"I'll try." She pulls her eyebrows together, "I think I'm underground. And it's extremely hot."

"Hades?" I suggest.

She shakes her head, "I don't think so…" she looks back up at me, her eyes stormy. "The IM's about to go. I love you."

"I love you too, Wise Girl. I'm going to find you."

"I know you will," she smiles. The mist dies, and her image falls into nothing.

I sink to the ground and lean back against the wall, my heart pounding, my head throbbing.

There's a knock on the door, and I turn to see Frederick watching me, "Percy, I-"

"Annabeth's in trouble." I tell him desperately. I'm almost relieved that he reacts.

"What?" he asks, "How do you know?"

"I just got a hold of her," I explain, standing and wiping my clammy hands on my pants.

"Where is she?" Mr. Chase asks frantically, "How can I help?"

"I don't know. I don't know anything," I'm frustrated, and I know it's showing. Frederick puts his hand on my shoulder.

"Don't beat yourself up over anything. Let me know if you need any help in finding my daughter. I'll do everything I can."

I nod, because I can't conjure up a response. Frederick is truly a nice guy who really does care about Annabeth. Really, if it weren't for Kim, the Chase family would be pretty cool.

I think of how Annabeth put up with her stepmom for years, and how it got so bad that she chose a life on the run fighting monsters instead. She's one of the strongest people I know, and just that thought is able to calm my frayed nerves a bit. I'm positive that she will be okay in her own hands, wherever she is. But she'll need me to pull her out.


	31. Chapter 31

**((Here's a fairly longer chapter! Thanks so much for the reviews guys, it really means a lot. This chapter switches POV's, so be sure to keep up with who's narrating :)))**

**Annabeth POV**

The door opens right as my IM with Percy dissipates. Reagan pops his head in, eyebrows furrowed, and looks straight at me. "Were you talking to someone?"

"Yes, you idiot. I've been trying to get your attention," I say, hoping it sounds like the truth.

"What do you want?" he grunts, stepping into my room.

"Hm, let's see. I want a unicorn, painted rainbow, with a side of cotton candy." I let venom drip from my voice, "What kind of question is that, to ask a prisoner chained to a wall?"

"Gods, you're sassy."

"You said gods!" I say almost victoriously, "You're a demigod, right?"

"Um. Of course. I thought you were a child of Athena," He crosses his arms tightly over his chest.

I blow his insult off, "Who's your godly parent?"

"You know, I don't get why I have to tell you anything." His arms uncross and he starts towards the door.

"Instant hostility towards your parent means… Either Hermes or Ares, am I right?"

Reagan's shoulders drop and his hand slips off the door handle. He turns to look at me, and from his posture I assume he's going to be wounded from my comment. But instead, there's fire in his eyes, and his hands curl into fists. He takes a step towards me, and I tense, curling further back against the wall. When he sees my defensive, helpless position he hesitates, and his eyes soften. "Yeah. Ares."

I swallow, trying to push down my fear, "I know plenty of children of Ares. There are a lot at Camp."

I can tell I've hit a soft spot, because Reagan instantly lights back up again. I can practically hear his teeth grinding. "Let's not talk about camp."

"Well then, can we talk about why I'm here? You still haven't told me."

"Because I don't have to tell you," he says. Something in his voice tells me otherwise.

I squint at him to see his reaction, "You don't even know why I'm here. Do you?"

His eyebrows knit together and he looks at the ground, thinking hard.

And then I strike.

While he's concentrated on his response, I lash out with my legs and hook my ankles behind his neck. I yank my body down, and he's forced down with it, his head smacking against the metal frame of my bed. He crumples to the ground, not dead, but unconscious.

"Athena, help me." I pray to my mother, squirming to get my wrists out of the shackles. Blood runs down my forearms, but I keep pulling. I grit my teeth as I realize the only way out of my cuffs, and before I can overthink what I'm doing, I take both hands and smash them against the wall. I instantly feel my right hand thumb break, and although it hurts like Hades, I can slip it right through the cuff now.

I stretch as far as I can, reaching for the key hanging around Reagan's neck that I assume opens my shackles. My fingers just barely brush the chain, and I'm able to get a good grip on it before getting it over Reagan's head. I insert the key into my left shackle, turn it, and am free.

Before just sprinting down the hall, I search Reagan for any weapons. He has a knife stuffed in his boot, as well as a gun in his belt loop. The ammunition to the gun isn't celestial bronze, and I'm a better knife-wielder than I am a shot, so I just stuff the gun underneath my pillow. Gripping the knife, I run out of the room, frantic to find any way out. Every wall is white, and no matter which way I turn, I just find myself in another corridor.

I've probably been running in circles for ten minutes before the alarm goes off. The white walls and floors are instantly swimming with red flashing lights, and a siren blares from overhead. I panic, and throw the nearest door I can open, slipping in to the deep black shadows of what seems to be a science lab. I cower behind a countertop and, focusing on the door intently, don't even realize that there's someone behind me until the needle is in my neck.

**Percy POV**

Frederick and I have decided not to tell Kim, Bobby, and Matthew what we've discovered about Annabeth. First off, they would be no help at all. Second, Bobby and Matthew would want to tag along with me on my rescue mission… whenever that may be. For now, I'm just sitting around and waiting, helpless and frantic.

I force myself to eat a bowl of leftover spaghetti because, even though I feel sick to my stomach, I need energy and strength to kill Annabeth's kidnappers. And I know I will kill them.

"Is it true that you're invincible?" Matthew asks, watching me as I eat. The twins have developed a habit of following me around, which I guess would be okay on any day other than today. It's cool to know the Chase family accepts me.

"Uh… yeah." I say, my mouth full. I swallow without chewing all the way, which hurts my throat.

Matthew punches my arm, "So did that hurt?"

"Not really." I tell him, a bit annoyed.

"How about this?" Bobby joins his brother, his finger jabbing at my ribs.

"Actually, that just tickles," I say, slapping his hand away.

"So you're ticklish?" Bobby asks.

I stand, and dump the remainder of my spaghetti in the trash, "Look, boys. I'm not in an extremely good mood right now, so if you could give me some space, I'll be glad to hang out with you once Annabeth is back."

"Where is she?" Matthew asks.

"I don't know." I shake my head, sick and tired of saying those words.

After two more hours of just sitting and waiting, I decide to IM Annabeth again. I return to her bathroom upstairs, turn on her shower, and toss another drachma into the water.

"Oh Iris, goddess of rainbows, show me Annabeth… location unknown."

The rainbow shifts, turning from ROYGBIV to pitch blackness. For a moment, I think that the connection hasn't worked again. But then I hear her breathing, and I take a deep breath.

"Annabeth," I say, barely above a whisper. She mumbles something, but it sounds like she's asleep. Why would she be asleep?

"Annabeth!" I repeat, slightly louder.

"Unghhh…"

"Wise Girl?"

"Percy," she groans. Her voice is groggy and full of confusion.

"Are you alright?" I ask her, wanting nothing more than to reach through the image and touch her, stroke her hair, pull her into a hug.

"No." she says, her voice muffled by something like a pillow. My stomach drops.

"What happened?" I can hear the worry in my own voice.

"Tried to escape… Tranquilize or something…" she mumbles, breathing heavily.

I swallow the lump in my throat, "Okay. Have you figured out where you are?"

She doesn't answer.

"Annabeth, please stay with me here."

Still no reply.

"Wise Girl." I say in desperation.

Barely audible, I hear her mumble, "Hermes." And then her quiet snores tell me that she's gone.

I swipe my hand through the mist and the shadows vanish. Of course she would tell me to ask Hermes; it'd be the logical thing to do. He's the god of messengers. He knows where everyone is, right?

I fish one more drachma out of my pocket, and am about to toss it into the shower to ask for Hermes, but a hand on my shoulder stops me. I jump and spin around, surprised.

"Looking for me?" His salt-and-pepper hair looks perfect, as always, and stubble lines his chin.

"Lord Hermes!" I exclaim. Normally, you would bow when in the presence of a god, but since I was offered immortal status, I kind of just blow off the formalities.

"That's me. Now, hurry it up kid, I got stuff to deliver." He snaps his fingers, and the room behind him fills itself with packages and letters. He snaps again, and they disappear.

"Can you tell me where Annabeth is?" I ask hopefully.

Hermes scratches his chin, "I haven't seen Ms. Chase in a while. I suppose I could look for her during my delivery route."

I gape at him, "Look for her? Isn't this more important than some stupid mail?"

Hermes looks horrified, "Stupid mail? My gods boy, you would weep at the sight of some of this so-called 'stupid mail'. There are things in these boxes that could both kill or save you. Loads of nectar and ambrosia that must be delivered to those in need-"

"Annabeth is in need too!" I plead.

"And I will do what I can to find her, so long as it does not impose on my deliveries! In millennium of service, not once have I made a late delivery, and I will not stop now due to a missing child!"

"Both you and I know that Annabeth isn't just some child. Now, how about you deliver my girlfriend to me by five o'clock. And don't have that delivery be late, or your record is skewed."

"It doesn't work that way, Perseus." Hermes chuckles, which seriously pisses me off.

"Then what way does it work?" I practically spit.

Hermes sighs, "I've told you what I can do to help. Now, no matter how little it is, you can either take my help or leave it. But you've already taken a huge chunk out of my time today, so please, tell me now."

I groan, "Fine. Do what you can. Please, help me find her."

"I will," Hermes nods, "Shield your eyes."

I turn away, and in a flash of light, Hermes is gone.

**Annabeth POV**

I think I dream of Percy, although I'm not positive that I actually slept. Thinking I was home free was a huge mistake, because now that I'm back in my prison cell, it feels so much worse than before.

My hand is wrapped up, my thumb has a splint on it, and although dried blood still cakes my forearms, my wrists are bandaged. And unshackled.

I sit straight up in realization when I notice that I'm no longer chained to the wall. I throw my legs over the side of the bed and stand, totally free.

Another thing I realize is that the candle, the only source of light in this dank room, is unlit. It's pitch black, which unsettles me.

I ease back onto the bed, pull my knees to my chest, and listen for any sort of noise. Other than the sound of my breathing, there is no sound.

Thinking hard, I lay back down, realizing then that my pillow is lumpy and uncomfortable. I reach beneath it, expecting to find a pebble or something, but my fingers slide over cool metal. The gun.

My heart speeds up, and I close my hand around the grip, feeling the smoothness of it. My hand snaps back from underneath when my door opens once more.

I close my eyes and attempt to breathe steadily, pretending to be asleep.

"Annabeth Chase?" says an unfamiliar female voice. I decide that it's best to stay 'pretend asleep', but then she laughs, "I do know that you are not asleep."

My eyes flicker open, and in the light that spills through the door, I see a tall red-headed woman in tight black clothing. She seems familiar, but distantly.

"Reagan tells me that you want to know why you're here," she croons, leaving the door open as if she knows I won't try to escape. Like hell.

"Of course I do." I say, waiting for her to turn away so that I can make a run for it.

"You're here as part of an experiment, darling. I needed a child of every god and goddess for it to have accurate results."

"And you chose me over the hundreds of Athena children out there?" I say, although it's not much of a surprise; my life usually sucks as much as possible.

"Of course not," she snaps, "You are no more special than any other child. However, you are direct access to the only demigod child of Poseidon that I happen to know of…"

My heart drops into my stomach. "You want Percy? I'm just bait?"

"Damsel in distress, if you will." The lady laughs lightly, and then turns towards the opposite wall.

I take my chance and lunge for the door. I'm nearly there when… my feet no longer hit the ground. I'm suspended in air for a moment, and then flung across the room where I hit the cement wall and crumple to the ground.

"Seriously dear, hasn't anyone told you it's rude to try and escape?" The woman raises her eyebrows at me, and her black eyes turn a violent shade of purple. Her hair defies gravity as it billows around her as if she were facing a fan, but there is no wind in my room.

"You're a goddess," I say stupidly, trying to sit up.

"You really are dense for a daughter of Athena." She practically sings.

"I'm really getting tired of people telling me that today." I groan, rubbing the sore spot on the back of my skull, "Excuse my incompetency, but may I ask who you are?"

Her eyes glaze from purple to yellow, and she smiles at me with bared teeth, "Bia. Goddess of force and compulsion. You've already seen the first half of my power… let's see how well you comply."


	32. Chapter 32

**((A/N This chapter was mainly an informative chapter. What do you guys think? Should Percy come to the rescue next chapter, or should I wait one more? I'm kind of missing Percabeth... anyone else? :( R&R!))**

**Annabeth POV**

When I was little, I read every book I could get my hands on. Once, when hiding from Kim in my closet, I read the whole dictionary by flashlight. By the time I was six, I'd already read the Harry Potter series four times through. Honestly, I'd thought that Hermione was my best friend, despite the fact she was fictional. So, I was pretty sure that I was the master at all spells. Including the Imperious curse.

Boy, was I wrong.

The way that Bia 'compels' me to follow her through the halls is nothing like I would have imagined. Having no control over any part of my body, not even my lips which are pressed tight, only my thoughts are my own. It gives me some sort of satisfaction that she cannot pierce my mind, the strongest part of me.

I can only hope and pray that Percy is preoccupied with some other action, so that he won't IM me. Somehow Bia does not know how connected Percy and I really are; she assumes we are simply acquaintances or allies in battle. If she understood… Well, I'd be screwed.

**Percy POV**

Around dinner time, the Chase home begins to smell like chicken pot pie and gravy. It's almost angering how the world keeps spinning despite my distance from Annabeth. It's not fair. But I should be used to unfair by now.

It's almost time to do our two-hourly IM, but I've run out of drachma. I've overturned most of the furniture in Annabeth's room looking for a golden coin, but they've all seemed to disappear, which is strange since I brought a huge supply of them.

I keep waiting for Hermes to show up with some dandy news that will send me on my quest, but he's nowhere to be seen.

Kim calls me down for dinner, and as Bobby and Matthew sit on either side of me, I stare at the piping hot plate of what looks delicious but I can't bring myself to eat. I stab the pie a few times with my fork, and demolish the insides, but none of it ever reaches my mouth. Frederick and Kim make small talk, and I meet his eyes a few times, but in the end I excuse myself before Kim can even offer me ice cream.

It's only eight o'clock, but I drag myself up to Annabeth's room and collapse on the bed that we used to share. My arms close around her pillow, and I bury my face in it, breathing in the scent of lemon and honey that naturally accompanies her hair. Before I know it, I'm asleep.

_ "Percy," a familiar voice mutters. I can't open my eyes, but I'm not worried. This voice is calming, godly. "Perseus, it's me."_

_ I concentrate, my ADHD overloading my brain right now, "Lord Hermes?"_

_ "Oh thank Zeus you're here. Okay, listen to me. Annabeth is somewhere in the mortal world. She's not in the Underworld or Tartarus or anything like that… she's above ground. I'm thinking Central Africa, or Southeast Asia. She's in some sort of medical facility, but it's extremely covert. I can't find any information on any of it… Although while I was passing through, I heard someone say something about 'McGreery'. It may be the name of the facility…"_

_ "Okay, I'll check online," I respond, my heart beating. "Can you wake me up?"_

_ "Excuse me?" Hermes asks. Then he groans, "Fine." _

I'm shaken awake violently, and the moment my eyes flicker open they land on a small white card that is printed with only two words: You're welcome.

A smirk forms on my lips, but it falls just as quickly as it came. Annabeth is missing.

Outside the window it's pitch black, and the clock reads 2:49.

I drop to my knees and begin digging through Annabeth's stuff. My fingers slip over the cool metal that I'm searching for, and I bring Daedalus' laptop out from under a pile of her clothes. I flip it open and turn it on, but as the screen lights up, the computer asks for a password.

I sit there with my fingers on the keys, possible passwords running through my mind. I try 'SeaweedBrain', 'Jackson', and 'YouDroolWhenYouSleep' before I realize that maybe her password isn't about me. I'm such an idiot. A selfish idiot.

Frustrated, I nearly break the computer as I slam my fist against it. And then it comes to me.

I type in '081811' and the background lights up and unlocks. This time, I can't stop myself from smiling. Our anniversary. Of course.

Quickly opening an internet page, I type 'McGreery' into Google. I get billions of responses on people with the last name McGreery, so I decide to make my search more specific. I type in 'McGreery facility in Southeast Asia', but the only thing that comes up is some research on Panda bears. When I switch to Africa, however, an article pops onto the screen. It takes me awhile to read it, because my dyslexia only worsens with adrenaline:

_McGreery Institute of Neuropsychological Advancement_

_ Founded in 1924 by Thomas J. McGreery, the Institute was a highly accredited yet discreetly recognized facility in the urban commune of Bandiagara in Mali. It's research mainly involved the experimental study of the relationship between mental disorders and violence. Most subjects were signed over to McGreery by their relatives, who trusted in the healing powers of McGreery's treatments, which included electro-conclusive therapy and customized dopamine-reducing antipsychotics. The clinic's research, however, came to a screeching halt when a natural gas leak caused an explosion that demolished half of the facility, killing twenty-three people: Twelve nurses, ten patients, and Dr. McGreery himself. The building was vacated, but the remains still stand abandoned on site._

The article ends there, although I'm eager to find out more. No other URLs lead to more information, though; there is absolutely nothing else on the internet about the McGreery Institute of Neuropsychological Advancement.

**Annabeth POV**

The worst feeling is wanting to scream, but not being able to.

Bia leads me through a large room, the size of a school gymnasium, with rows and rows of cots littering the floor. Each one has a demigod lain on it, unconscious, probably from anesthesia. All I want to do I shake them by the shoulders, and scream for them to run.

My eyes are set dead ahead, but I check my peripheral vision for any familiar faces. No one I know is here, at least not that I've seen so far. None of them live at Camp.

If I was in control of my own lungs, I'd breathe a sigh of relief. At that moment, I panic, realizing that I'm not in control of my own lungs. The she-devil in front of me is.

I wonder how the Olympians can let this happen, but then I think that Bia may be compelling them to ignore it. Can she compel gods? Probably not. Otherwise, she would have already compelled herself power, leadership over Olympus.

Under Bia's control, I collapse into my very own cot, stiff and uncomfortable. Straps from either side of the cot whip up and around me, tying me down. But then I can move my own lips and fingers again, and my eyes are free to search around me. I'm back under control.

"What is this?" I ask, unable to move my head as a strap loops over my forehead.

Bia speaks from a few yards away, observing her collection of demigods. "I don't know why you think I'm going to tell you things."

I shift my eyes towards where she is, but I can't see her. What I do see, however, makes me suck in a sharp breath. In the cot next to me, with a forehead covered in a purpling bruise, Reagan sleeps, unconscious, his wrists bound to the cot. Despite him being my jailer for a while, I suddenly feel obligated to help him escape.

"Will you tell me if I guess correctly, then?" I ask, my mind working double time.

Bia considers this, "I doubt that you will, and I don't want you to waste any more of my time. But I'm curious..." she hums, "I'll give you one guess."

"Okay," I lick my lips, "You're analyzing the brains of the demigods of each godly parent to determine their strengths and weaknesses. Once you figure out which of us is the strongest, you're going to use them as an army against the gods of Olympus, the only things you cannot compel."

It's silent for nearly a full minute.

Then, she speaks. "I was wrong about you, child of Athena. You are exceedingly brilliant. Although, it doesn't matter much whether you know my plans or not, since those who fail my tests will be terminated immediately."

"What I don't get," I say, trying to ignore the fact that ninety-nine percent of the demigods in this room are destined to die, "Is why you want children of the Big Three. There are so few of them, an army would be impossible to build. And even they couldn't defeat the gods and goddesses single-handedly."

"No, I suppose not. But they will make great leaders with their power. Now shut up, while I finish these reports."

And I do shut up. Although, not voluntarily.


	33. Chapter 33

**((A/N And I've pumped out a whole other chapter for you guys, because that's how much I love you. Not to mention that this is the longest chapter of this entire story so far... you're welcome :) R&R!))**

**Percy POV**

I call Chiron on the phone at around 4 AM, and he answers in his nightgown (don't ask me to elaborate, because I'm not going to). I tell him all about what's happening, and he listens intently until I finish.

"I'm sorry about this, Percy," he says, "Do you want back up when you go in?"

I shake my head, "It's in Africa, and Mrs. O'Leary only has enough energy to get one person that far after she travels to get me from New York."

"I understand."

"Can you send her over as soon as possible?"

"Of course," Chiron pauses, "Be careful, Percy."

"Aren't I always?"

"Um… no. Not necessarily."

I hang up, running my hands through my hair and then searching for a pencil to write Mr. Chase a note. I quickly tell him what's going on and where I'm going, tape it to Annabeth's door, and then quickly stuff everything I need in a backpack. I pull my hood up over my head as I crawl out onto the roof, where it's drizzling slightly.

Then I wait.

About six minutes later a large dark figure hops through one of the shadows in the alley below, panting and creating a dust storm with its tail. I smile, and slide down the escape ladder on the side of the house. As soon as my feet hit the ground, I'm drenched in dog drool; or I would be drenched, if I wasn't the son of Poseidon. "Hey, girl." I reach up as high as I can and scratch behind Mrs. O'Leary's ear, and her tail thumps the ground so loudly that the neighbor's window lights up, and I hear some yelling 'Earthquake!' from inside.

Quickly, I climb onto the giant hellhound's back, and tell her, "Bandiagara, Mali. We're going to save Annabeth, and we'll need you to take us back, so conserve your energy."

In response, she drools. Then she lunges towards the wall, and I hang on for dear life.

**Annabeth POV**

I think I fell asleep, because when my eyes open again, there's light streaming through the only window in the room. I groan, my back stiff but I'm unable to stretch, tethered to this damn cot.

"Hey," there's a whisper from next to me, so quiet that I think I imagined it until it whispers, "Annabeth."

I swallow, my mouth dry, and glance over at the cot next to me. "Reagan."

"Look… I want to apologize," he whispers, "Bia compelled me."

"To guard me?" I snort.

"Yes… well, no. She compelled me not to leave. I wanted to find out why you were the only one in a cell, not a cot… but when you knocked me out, her compulsion broke. So she strapped me up too."

"Are you the only son of Ares here?"

"I'm not sure," he mutters, "She never told me anything. But… I assume we're going to die."

"No." I say, a little too loud. Then I repeat it, much quieter, "No. We're not going to die. I have back-up…"

"The son of Poseidon, right? He won't be too much help here. There's no water."

"Blood is sixty percent water," I say, "Besides, he's powerful enough to save us without water."

"It pisses you off, doesn't it?" Reagan asks.

"What does?" Although I already know his answer.

"Being helpless. You'd rather be the one saving him than the other way around."

I take a deep breath, "Yes, but I would hate being in his position as well. Knowing that I'm the only one that can actually help him…"

"Is that how you think he feels?"

"Percy knows how to handle a crisis. He has a goal, and he accomplishes it. He doesn't overthink or overanalyze situations… he just acts on instinct."

"So, he's the opposite of you," I can practically hear the smile in Reagan's voice, which kind of makes me mad. Why does he think he knows everything about me? "You and him are good friends then?"

My heart skips a beat. If Bia is listening… "I mean, he's a good guy. I never see him anymore, because I moved to San Francisco with my mortal family."

"Is that so?" Bia strides into the room, her voice booming, "Because I could have sworn that Reagan told me about a certain green-eyed boy sleeping on your couch the night he kidnapped you."

My blood runs cold, "You were the one that took me?"

"I was being compelled!" Reagan practically pleads.

Bia cuts in, leaning over my cot to look at me. One of her well-manicured nails brushes a strand of hair from my forehead, "I do believe it's time for your first test, Ms. Chase."

**Percy POV**

We land right outside of a half-standing building, that I recognize right away as the McGreery institute. Graffiti covers the remaining walls, and it looks like a total dump in the rising sun.

I slip off of Mrs. O'Leary's back, pulling off my jacket in this smelting heat. I stuff it inside of my backpack, and pull out Riptide in pen form.

"Stay close. We may need you on a moment's notice." I tell Mrs. O'Leary. She gives me a sloppy kiss before cantering towards the nearest clump of trees, which are extremely rare, wherever we are.

I decide not to take the quiet approach, as Annabeth may need me as soon as possible. I find the nearest entrance, slip inside, and uncap Riptide, ready for an army of monsters to attack. There are none.

Trying to be as quiet as possible, I make my way through the winding white halls, washed in harsh fluorescent lights. My shoes squeak against the floor, and I wince as the sound echoes off of the walls, but nothing attacks me.

And then I hear a scream.

I break into a run, sprinting towards the source. When I reach a set of double doors, I come to a stop, taking cover behind one of the corners. There is a plate of glass on the door, a window into the next room, and I take a chance by peeking through it.

My breath catches in my throat.

Annabeth is there, her hands wrapped around her own throat, her face a violent shade of purple. Before her stands a woman I've never seen before, dressed in a leather jumpsuit, staring as Annabeth chokes herself. I take this in as I am frozen in shock, but just as I break out of my stupor, another stranger leaps up from behind Annabeth and plows into the lady.

I decide to join the party.

Annabeth needs help, I know that when she doesn't get up from the ground where she crumples, but I can't help her until this psycho lady is dead.

The boy that tackled this lady staggers backwards, and then falls to his knees, controlled by some unknown force. Then, finally, it clicks in my mind that this lady can control people.

She doesn't break the boy's gaze, and so I sneak up behind her. I lunge, but at the last moment she senses me and turns. My sword slices her cheek, but only barely. Gold seeps from the wound, and she growls.

"Ichor…" I mutter, "You're a goddess."

"Why does nobody recognize me?" She fumes, "I am Bia! Goddess of-"

I'm not sure if I'll ever find out what she's the goddess of, because I take her rant as a chance to stab at her again. She dodges, and then bares her teeth at me.

I make a face at her, "Were you born that ugly, or were you hit by a bus recently?"

"Son of Poseidon!" She hisses, leaping towards me. I sidestep her, but am instantly distracted. The boy that attacked Bia first has slung Annabeth's body over his shoulder, and is running towards the doors.

"Oh, Hades," I mutter under my breath. Bia swipes at me, but where her nails should have ripped my chest open, I'm untouched. Thank you, Styx.

"Why can't I control you?" Bia shrieks, her eyes changing color continuously.

"Maybe because you're an idiot," I spit back. It's not my best comeback, but hey, I'm distracted.

I decide to focus on Bia, because chances are, the boy that took Annabeth is an ally. I hope.

The goddess looks beyond frustrated as she intensifies her stare at me. "I can't compel you... but maybe…"

And then I lift off the ground and fly across the room. I'm airborne for approximately five seconds before slamming into the opposite wall and crashing to the ground, Riptide thrown from my grasp. The goddess stalks over to me, and I pretend to be hurt although I hit nowhere near my Achilles spot. Apparently this goddess isn't up to date on the latest Percy Jackson news. If she gets close enough, and Riptide appears…

"I've always wanted a Son of Poseidon," she croons.

"Whoa, lady. I'm in a committed relationship." I hold up my hands in 'surrender'.

She laughs, "Not that way. I have other plans for you."

"What about the two that got away?" I ask, deciding to stall.

"Oh, they were just children of Athena and Ares. Plenty of those, considering Ares is a man-whore, and Athena just likes having admirers. You, though… you're one-of-a-kind."

"You know, I've been told that before." I say. I feel Riptide appear in my pocket.

"Probably not for the same reasons," she sneers. "You're here to take some tests."

"I've never been good at taking tests." I warn her. She laughs. I lunge.

Riptide slices right through her, and I look away as she bursts into light. In that moment, all I can think of is how easy she was to beat for being a goddess.

But then I remember Annabeth.

**Annabeth POV**

My head throbs, which is a good sign, as one needs to be alive to feel pain. I gasp for air, but as soon as I realize I'm not suffocating anymore, I stop panicking. And then I realize that I'm not alone.

Reagan holds me over his shoulder, my body bouncing as he runs. He's tired and short of breath. He's been running for a while.

We're outside, but I can still see the building that I assume we came out of. I've only been unconscious for a minute.

"Reagan." I cough, "Put me down."

"I can't," he grumbles.

"What happened?" I ask.

"Your back-up." He pants.

I blink, my head still hurting. Percy's here?

Before we can get out of hearing range, I muster up the loudest voice I can and scream Percy's name. It echoes, and I hope he heard me.

"Put me down. I'm fine," I repeat.

"I can't put you down, Annabeth. I was compelled." His voice is strained.

My heart stops, "Reagan… Where are we going?"

He doesn't answer.

"Reagan…" my worry begins to build.

"She told me to kill you." He cries, his voice cracking, "I don't want to. I don't. But I can't stop."

"PERCY!" I scream again, as loud as I can.

Reagan slows his run.

"What are you doing?" I ask quietly. When he doesn't answer, I kick and wriggle, trying to get free. But I'm still woozy from nearly choking myself to death.

"Annabeth!" My name echoes from far away, and I nearly burst into tears from relief.

"Percy!"

"Stop." Reagan groans, "You're hurting my ears."

"Seriously?" I kick him as hard as I can, "You're about to try and kill me, but I'm HURTING YOUR EARS?"

"Um… yeah." He grunts, ducking inside of a rundown hut and throwing me off of his shoulder and onto the cement, cornering me. He reaches behind him. "Look, Annabeth… I really don't want to do this." He's telling the truth. It's obvious by the way he looks at me.

"Then don't." I say, pushing myself off of the ground and onto my feet. I'm about to make an offensive move, but then he pulls something from behind him and points it at me. The gun.

I say a word that I'm not proud of saying, and hold my hands over my head in surrender.

He cocks the gun, his hands shaking. His finger moves to the trigger. I close my eyes.

BANG!

I expect to be dead, on the ground, in a pool of my own blood, but then I realize that the bang wasn't made from the gun, it was from the door flying open. I nearly pass out as Percy tackles Reagan from behind, wrestling him to the ground. I'm frozen in fear as a gunshot goes off, but Percy just grunts, and Reagan keeps fighting, so I assume it was a rogue bullet, or maybe it hit Percy and he just blew it off. When he fights close quarters like this I always get worried, because he's more vulnerable.

Finally, Percy throws Reagan to the ground, his hands on the gun. He cocks it, ready to shoot, but I scream and throw myself in front of the line of fire. "NO!"

Percy yanks his hand back, yelling, "Holy Hades Annabeth! I almost just shot you!"

"No! Don't kill him!" I shield Reagan with my own body.

"What? Why not?" Percy asks, confused.

"Let me see the gun," I say, stretching out and open hand towards Percy. He raises his eyebrow at me, but hands me the pistol without any more questions.

I turn towards Reagan who kneels on the ground looking up at me, confusion and gratitude on his face. And then I take the butt of the gun and slam it hard into the side of his head, knocking him out with one hit.

Both Percy and I stand frozen for a few moments, staring at Reagan. Then, Percy's fingers brush the back of my neck, and I turn into him. His arms wrap around me, and I cling to him, my eyes watering. He kisses my head, and then pulls back to look me in the eye. "Are you alright?"

"I am now," I say, pulling his face to mine and quickly touching our lips, "How are we getting out of here?"

"I have Mrs. O'Leary waiting…" he trails off.

I shake my head, "We need another way back. There were so many demigods in that facility, Percy. We need to help them. Mrs. O'Leary can't take us all."

He nods, agreeing with me. "We can take Mrs. O'Leary two at a time to the ocean. I can get us home from there."

I lick my dry lips, "Do you have any water?"

He smiles, the smile that I've so desperately needed to see. "What kind of question is that?"

Immediately, I begin to feel hydrated again. "How…?" I touch my now moist lips with the tips of my fingers.

"There's a tree outside. I transferred its water to you." He grins, reaching out and taking my hand. "I've missed you."

"I'm pretty sure I missed you more." I say.

"I'm not going to argue with you, because you're traumatized right now. But you're wrong." He smirks.

"You're just scared you'll lose." I tease.

"Wise Girl, I'm in love with you. I don't care how often I lose, as long as you stay mine."


	34. Chapter 34

**((A/N Short chapter, I know, but I figured the last two were put up together, and were freaking long. SO I can get away with this, right? Wrong. You guys keep me in check haha. Already working on the next chapter... Love your reviews! :D))**

**Annabeth POV**

Explaining what the Hades happened to all of the demigods back at the building seemed like an impossible task when they'd wake up and immediately start kicking and punching at whoever was closest to them. Which usually was either me or Percy, because we had the task of untying every single one of them.

Reagan gained consciousness after a few minutes and, after giving me a sincere and repetitive apology, began to help with the demigods still on cots. Percy keeps shooting him dirty looks, which both satisfies and annoys me.

I walk over to where he is and help him with a particularly confusing knot, even though he's better with untangling things than me, considering he's the son of the sea god. It may not sound relevant, but you try tying a boat to a dock and tell me how easy it is.

"Stop it," I tell him quietly, my voice hidden by the excited murmuring of the conscious demigods around us.

"Stop what?" he asks, moving to the next cot. I follow him.

"Reagan was being compelled. Stop glaring at him."

"He had a gun pointed at your head. Compelled or not, I don't trust him."

I put down the knot I'm working on and turn to look at Percy. He meets my eyes and his eyebrows raise in question.

I take his hand, "You're going to have to get over it, because we're all going to be on a boat together in about three hours, and it's going to be a long trip."

"I don't like him," he grumbles, this thumb tracing patterns on the back of my hand. The cuts on my wrists and hands from my shackles are still tender and crusted in dried blood. What I desperately want right now… is a shower.

"Like him or not, he did save my life from Bia-"

"So he could kill you himself!" Percy drops my hand and gapes at me, disbelieving, "How can you defend this guy, Annabeth?"

"Because I think you're jumping to conclusions! What, are you jealous or something?" Wrong move. Percy gives me a look that practically shatters me inside, and then storms away, fists balled. Every cot he passes, the knots immediately become undone and fly apart. He stomps out the door. I don't follow him.

I feel my eyes burning, but I don't let myself cry. Even though all I've wanted for days is for him to be next to me, I just scared him off. I walk over to the wall and slide down, covering my face with my hands.

"Are you okay?"

For a second, I think Percy's come back. Then I drop my hands and see Reagan.

"Yeah. Can you just… leave me alone for a minute?" I ask.

"Did your boyfriend upset you?" he pushes.

"No. I upset him. Please go."

"I don't think you're okay." Reagan squats in front of me, a genuine look of concern on his face. Which pisses me off even further.

"It's not your job to tell me if I'm okay or not. And even if I'm not okay, it's also not your duty to make me feel better. So could you just leave?" I practically yell the last part, and it echoes around the room. Some demigods turn to look at me, but most ignore it, still pulling themselves out of their groggy state.

When Reagan doesn't move, I push myself onto my feet and stride to the middle of the room. I always feel better when I have something to do. "Okay, listen up!" I boom, gaining the attention of everyone around, "We're going to get you home! Is everyone here from America?"

There's a few head nods from around the room, so I take it as an overall 'yes'.

"Here's what's going to happen. We're going to shadow travel, two people at a time, to the Western coast. We have a boat waiting there, and from then on we'll sail home. Everybody got it?"

A hand shoots up from the back of the crowd, and a small voice asks, "What's shadow travel?"

"You'll be riding on the back of a hellhound. It's not too bad, although I would recommend a barf bag, if you have one handy."

"What's a hellhound?" Another one asks.

I pause, realization dawning on me. "How many of you know what you are?"

About half of the hands raise from the crowd. The ones who don't have their hands raised look downright confused.

"Let me explain. Each of you only has one biological parent, right?" I don't wait for an answer, "Well that's because your other parent is a Greek Olympian. Congratulations, you're all demigods, doomed to a life of disappointment and danger."

"Cool!" a little boy to my right squeals. I don't think he gets what I'm trying to convey.

"No. Not cool. Anyways, I'll explain more later, but if you all are feeling the way I feel… like crap… then we probably want to get to the ocean as soon as possible."

"Am I being Punk'd?" a teenaged girl about my age calls out, looking around for cameras.

"If you don't believe me, you're welcome to stay here, in Mali, alone and in constant danger of attack. Otherwise, partner up with a buddy, and meet me outside." They disperse.

"You're good at that," Reagan finds me in the crowd.

"Dude! Just leave me alone!" I throw my hands in the air.

He turns a bit red, "So you don't want to be my buddy?"

My mouth opens to make some witty remark, but I realize that it's just not even worth the breath.

"Am I the reason you and Percy are fighting?" he asks, following me as I make my way outside.

"We're not fighting." I growl.

"He doesn't like me."

"I'm not liking you very much right now either," I mutter under my breath.

"I'm sorry for what I did. I really am."

I halt in my tracks and turn to face Reagan, "Look. You tried to kill me. More than once. I understand that you were under Bia's control, but I can't forget you pointing a gun at me. If I didn't want to give you another chance, though, you wouldn't be here. You'd either be dead, or wish you were. Percy, on the other hand, wants you gone, and right now, he's my priority. So, please, just back off a little bit."

He bites his lip, nods, and then melts into the crowd of demigods pouring through the doors.

I watch them all go, reality sinking in; I'm in charge of all of these people?

"I'm not jealous." Percy comes up behind me, "I mean, you've always said you loved my green eyes. His are brown. I'm not jealous of brown."

"You shouldn't be," I turn to look at him. His eyebrows are pulled tight together, and I can't stop myself from reaching up and touching the wrinkle they make on his forehead. He takes my hand and laces his fingers through mine.

"I'm sorry," he mumbles, "I just… I want to go home. With you. Just you."

I look at the ground, thinking hard. "Percy, I don't want to go back home. Not to my home. I don't like having to hide you from my parents, and I don't like being in San Francisco. I want to go back to New York and finish school there, with you and Sally, and Chiron and Grover and Thalia…" my voice cuts off, and I realize then how emotionally drained I am. I need coffee or something.

"Okay," Percy whispers, wrapping his arms around my shoulders and pulling me to him. I bury my face in his chest, focusing on breathing in his calming smell.

I love him for saying 'okay'. Because that's all I really need right now, is for things to be okay.


	35. Chapter 35

**((A/N Two in one day... yet again :) R&R!))**

**Percy POV**

I'm last to shadow travel on Mrs. O'Leary, who looks absolutely exhausted from her forty trips to the ocean and back. When I scratch behind her ear, her tail doesn't even cause an earthquake.

"Is it scary?" Mia, a little girl about six years old, who chose me as her partner asks.

"Do you like rollercoasters?" I ask, holding her hand.

She shakes her head violently, "No! I'm scared."

"Hey!" I promise her quietly, "It's going to be okay. I'm coming with you."

"How can I trust you?" she looks up at me with big blue eyes.

I ponder this for a moment, "Well… you can't know for sure. But you _can_ be brave. You've got it in your blood."

"My blood?"

"Yeah, you're a demigod! We're the bravest people out there!"

"Braver than Superman?" she gapes at me.

"Technically Superman's not a person, he's an alien from the planet Krypton. But if you want to talk superheroes, then… we're as brave as Batman." I grin down at her, and she returns with a smile.

"Batman's cool."

"Heck yeah he is!" I say, lifting Mia onto Mrs. O'Leary's back. The hellhound groans in exhaustion, but after I climb on and wrap my arms around Mia, we're flying through the shadows.

When we land back in the light, Mia is laughing hysterically. "That was fun! Can we do it again?"

I smile at her, "Maybe later. My puppy's tired at the moment."

"Good puppy." Mia slides off of Mrs. O'Leary's back and strokes her fur.

"You made it," Annabeth comes over to me. She went first, to scope out the area for monsters of any sort before we began loading kids through shadow travel, and I went last to keep all the kids in line. Like an engine and a caboose.

"Of course I did. What, was I going to get lost?" I joke, and she jabs me in the ribs with her elbow. I double over in pretend pain.

"So where's this boat you've been bragging about?" her arms cross tightly over her chest.

"Should be here…" I say, taking a few steps towards the ocean. Being on the shore puts me in a great mood, and the wind off the coastline feels great in this heat. I lean over to Annabeth and whisper, "Be right back." Before running straight into the saltwater and submerging myself. I swim deeper, until I can no longer see the sun, and then rest at the bottom of the ocean.

"Hey, Dad, I really need a boat. A big boat… large enough for, like, a hundred people… I'd be really grateful if you could maybe lend me one?" I pause, "Oh and, just a thought, an ice cream machine wouldn't be anything to complain about."

Nothing happens for about thirty seconds. And then, the ocean floor shifts, and suddenly I'm no longer standing on sand…

I'm standing on the deck of a huge ship, probably longer than an NFL football field, and it's rising from the bottom of the ocean, disrupting sand and plankton, and many fish that are scared out of their minds.

"Thanks!" I call, just before I break into the air, the ship rising with me. I keep going up, up, up until I'm standing on the bow of the ship, fifty feet higher than the surface of the ocean. The demigods on shore all gape at the ship that just rose out of nowhere, and I scan that faces until I see Annabeth, grinning widely, shaking her head at me in disbelief. I wink at her, although I'm not sure if she can see me from this distance. I think I see her wink back.

**Annabeth POV**

I think it's safe to say that I'm totally turned on right now. When Percy showed up with a little girl in his arms, I was befuddled at how attractive he was playing with a child. And now, mysteriously diving into the ocean and returning with a cruise liner, standing on the bow like some 18th century captain-hero? Well, that's just icing on the cake.

"Okay!" I call out, forcing my attention away from my extremely attractive boyfriend, "Everyone load on as fast as you can. We're going home!"

There's a loud cheer that erupts from the crowd, and they all begin to pile onto the boat from a plank that has stretched onto shore. I count them as they board, and end up with eighty-nine. Plus Percy and I, ninety-one total.

I board after the last kid has walked the gangplank, and am immediately astonished at the decoration of this boat. It looks like an old Victorian theme, although everything looks brand new and polished. The carpet is perfectly dry, despite the fact that it was underwater not even ten minutes ago.

"Annabeth!" Percy calls from the other side of the room, hands waving. As the crowd disperses to go explore the ship, he makes his way over to me. "I claimed the Presidential Suite already, but I guess we can share."

"No, thanks," I say, keeping an extremely straight face. Percy looks taken aback, and then I laugh, "Of course I'll stay with you. Percy, this is amazing… how did you get Poseidon to give us this?"

"I just asked," he shrugs, "Now, come on, I need to check and make sure it has an ice cream machine!"

"Wait!" I say, "I'm going to wash up. I'll meet you after I'm done?"

"Okay," he smiles at me, "But hurry. I want to go exploring with you."

I laugh, and kiss his cheek before leaving to go find the Presidential Suite.

It ends up being stern-end, sixth deck. The best place for a room. The door opens without a key, and I take a step in. And nearly faint.

If I thought the grand entrance was beautiful, this room is absolutely gorgeous. With floor to ceiling windows facing out over the ocean, all white furniture, and a transparent staircase leading to the upstairs bedroom, it's probably one of the most amazing places I've ever seen. Even though Percy told me to hurry, I find myself admiring every single bit of architectural grandeur that this room presents. I've probably spent ten minutes looking at the railing before I actually take hold of it and make my way up the steps.

The bedroom is beautiful as well. It's a shame that the bed is king-sized, since Percy and I usually sleep close enough together for a twin, but I can't stop myself from lunging at it and stretching against the cool, soft comforter. I nearly fall asleep before I realize that I really do need to take a shower.

I scrub thoroughly, determined to get every bit of dirt off of me. Then I brush my hair, and using a toothbrush I find under the sink in a welcome basket, brush my teeth as well. Once I feel clean, I regret putting my old clothes back on: my tank top and shorts that I was kidnapped in so long ago. I slip them on anyways, and exit the room. Immediately after I enter the bedroom, I see a splash of color against the white bed sheets. I reach over and pick up a folded pair of jean shorts and a dark blue t-shirt that has the words 'SS Serendipity' printed across the front. Clean clothes.

I change quickly, feeling a hundred times cleaner in these new clothes. Then I make my way back down the steps, pulling my hair into a high ponytail.

"Where'd you get the clothes?" I ask, seeing Percy lounging on the couch, looking out the window. Whitewater trails behind the boat as we sail away from the coast of Africa.

"Gift shop. Go figure," he chuckles, standing up and coming over to me. He bends down and is about to kiss me, but I stop him.

"You gotta go take a shower and brush your teeth too," I laugh, "You smell like sweat. And even though it's sexy…" I trail off, not having a way to end that sentence.

"You're right." Percy kisses my cheek, "I am sexy."

"I didn't say YOU were!" I call after him as he charges up the steps.

"You were thinking it!" he calls back down. I smile, touching my cheek where his lips previously touched.

I find that the fridge in our suite's kitchen is chalk full of food and drinks. I thank Poseidon over and over as I nearly swallow an orange whole, and then chug a Red Bull. I'm in the process of eating an apple when Percy emerges from upstairs, dressed in cargo pants and a t-shirt identical to mine, but light green. He looks positively gorgeous.

"Now can I kiss you?" he pouts, coming up behind me and grabbing my waist.

I sigh reluctantly, "I suppose." I grin as he turns me around and places his mouth against mine, kissing me both roughly and with restraint at the same time. I reach up and wrap my arms around his neck as he lifts me from the floor onto the counter, where I sit and wrap my legs around his waist. His fingers run under the brim of my t-shirt, brushing my skin.

After a moment, I pull away for air, pressing my forehead to his. "What about exploring the ship?"

"I've got something else on my mind right now," he breathes, "The ship's going to be here when we wake up tomorrow. This moment won't be."

"That's cheesy," I chuckle, leaning back into our kiss. As it deepens, Percy's hands slowly trail further up underneath my shirt. His fingers leave trails of electricity from my stomach to my ribs. I don't stop him as he lifts my shirt over my head, his lips trailing down from my mouth to my neck to my collarbone.

I guess I'll never know how far we would have gone in that moment, because a knock on our door causes us to break apart. Percy meets my eyes, and he looks both disappointed and ecstatic. He plants one more kiss on my lips before going to answer the door, and I slip my shirt back over my head before following him.

Reagan stands at the door, and for a moment, I'm about to punch him right in the face. And then he says, a bit frantically, "You guys might want to come up on deck."


	36. Chapter 36

**((A/N SURPRISE! A THIRD is up today! Please, tell me how much you love me :) it raises my self-esteem haha :) _More reviews=Quicker updates_! ALSO: Keep in mind that this story is Rated T for a reason. This chapter, as well as the previous one, are about as graphic as things are going to get romantically. I don't want to break any rules... but if someone lets me know the actual boundaries for a T-rating, then maybe I'll fit something else in ;) I know how you all love yourselves some Percabeth :)))**

**Annabeth POV**

"Hey, I didn't even want to get on this boat, jackass!"

"Well then, maybe we should just throw you overboard and let you drown!"

We could hear the banter from inside, but once we break out onto the deck Percy, Reagan, and I can finally see the fight that's about to go down.

"You think you're so smart, just because you're a son of Athena?" a girl about thirteen screams. She has her hand around the neck of a broken bottle, the edges jagged and glinting in the sunlight. She points it at the other offender, a boy maybe a year older than her, unarmed but fiercely pissed.

"Hey, at least I know who my godly parent is! And it's pretty easy to see why your parent hasn't claimed you. You're a selfish little brat with an outrageous temper!" the boy spits back, his teeth grinding.

"What's going on?" I step in between them, looking back and forth between their faces.

The boy glares at me with fire in her eyes, "Look, I know you're the so-called unofficial leader, but you're stepping between the wrong two people here, sweetheart."

"Hey," Percy deliberately steps between me and the boy, "What's your name?"

"Darren Schillings, son of Athena," he practically bows, obviously proud of himself, "Claimed when I was eight years old. My father is-"

"He asked your _name_, retard. Not your life story." The girl hisses.

"Well, what's your name then?" I turn to ask the girl.

Her eyes meet mine, and she challenges me for a moment. But when I don't back down, she does, and her eyes trail to the ground. "Ruby."

"Okay, Darren and Ruby. How about we split up and talk this out rationally, instead of fist-fighting? Sound like a plan?" I glance over at Darren for literally a millisecond before I see Ruby lunge at me out of my peripheral vision. On instinct, I sidestep her charge and grab her arm, using her momentum to flip her upside down and onto the ground. She hits the deck with a cry of pain, and a not-so-pleasant nickname for me.

When I straighten up, the crowd that's gathered to see the fight is gaping at me, their eyes wide and their mouths wider. "What?" I yell at them, "You're on a cruise ship, and the best thing you've got to do is look at me? Get out of here!"

Percy leans over and whispers so that only I can hear, "I mean, I've got nothing better to do than look at you…"

I elbow, and then ignore him, pulling the bottle out of Ruby's hand and helping her up.

"Percy, go find Darren and figure out what his problem is. I don't want any more fights starting until we get to dry land," I practically order, which is out of the ordinary. Percy's been the head honcho ever since we were twelve and he lead the first mission. I mean, I tell him what to do, but in situations like this he's usually the one to take charge.

Ruby spits blood from her mouth, "Thanks. I practically bit off my tongue."

"Any time," I gesture towards a beach chair, and she sits. Probably scared of me.

"So now you're going to lecture me on how to behave, right? Well, sorry, but I don't know how to act socially. Never had a mother to teach me proper etiquette or whatever the hell it's called."

"So your biological parent is your father?"

"I thought that was pretty clear," she growls, "But whoever my mother is, I'm sure she hates me."

"Maybe not. The gods and goddesses are always extremely busy. Besides, there's this law now, that if you go to Camp Half-Blood your parent has to claim you." I tell her.

"Camp Half-Blood? What kind of name is that?" she scoffs. I almost judo flip her again. No one insults my home.

"It's a haven for demigods like us," I say. I realize that she's about to spit venom back at me, so I continue talking. "It sounds like your major problem with this is that you don't know who your godly parent is. Right?"

Ruby looks down at her feet, and I take her silence as an affirmation.

"Well, I'm pretty smart. I could probably figure it out for you." Her face completely changes expressions, and her eyes open wide. She smiles.

"Really? Okay, I'll tell you anything you need to know to figure it out." She sounds generally excited. I wonder if there's any goddesses with bipolar disorder, and realize that if any did have it, it would be Hera… the goddess with no children.

I look her over, "I would guess Ares if you didn't have a dad."

"Oh, because of my temper?" she instantly frowns again.

"No. Brown hair, hazel eyes, sharp cheekbones… they're all signs of Ares. What does your dad look like?" I inquire.

"I look just like him," she purses her lips, "I'm pretty street smart."

"Athena children have book-smart intelligence. They know things that normally can't be taught."

"I failed the 12th grade twice. I'm no child of Athena." Ruby laughs.

My mouth pops open, and I blink I confusion, "Did you say 12th grade?"

"Um… yeah."

"Ruby, how old are you?" I say slowly.

She cocks her head to the side, "Twenty-three. Why?"

"I know who your godly parent is." I say with finality. There is no way this girl in front of me is twenty-three.

"Who?" She asks eagerly.

"Hebe. Goddess of youth. I've never met a child of Hebe before." I hold out my hand, but Ruby just stares at it until I put it down.

"The goddess of youth." She repeats quietly under her breath. Then louder, "That is so _lame_! Everyone else gets to be super smart or can shoot an apple off of someone's head from a mile away. But I just look _young_?"

"You look thirteen," I tell her.

She looks at me, horrified, "Is that supposed to make me feel good? Because it doesn't! That's so stupid!"

I try to calm her down, "Ruby, I may be wrong."

"But you're never wrong! You're a child of freaking _Athena_!" she fumes.

I glance towards the sky, "I don't think you want to disgrace a goddess that way."

"What's she gonna do? Throw books at me? Make my brain explode with facts that nobody cares about?" Her voice raises, and for a second, her image flickers.

Normally, I would just assume that I blinked wrong, or that I'm physically exhausted. But the louder her voice gets, and the madder she is, the more her face begins to change.

She yells obscenities at me, but I don't hear any of them. I'm transfixed, watching her features as they shift; bags grows under her eyes and then disappear, her face is covered in wrinkles one minute, and smooth the next. Her hair glimmers as silver hairs spread throughout her scalp, and then shift back to their normal mousey brown. She's constantly changing age.

"Ruby, have you ever noticed this before?" I breathe, interrupting her rant.

"Seen what? A stupid look on your face? Plenty of times," she crosses her arms again.

"No… Ruby, you have a gift." I say, taking her arm and dragging her towards the pool, "Keep yelling at me!" I tell her, because the calmer she gets, the more normal she looks.

"What the hell are you talking about? You can't tell me what to do! You're younger than me! You can't just-" she's cut off by a sharp breath that she sucks in as she sees her reflection in the pool's surface. "Holy crap."

"You're a shape-shifter. You can change the way you look. I can set you up with a child of Apollo in the infirmary back at camp, and he can help you harness your ability and learn to control it, if you'd like." I offer politely. She nods enthusiastically, reaching up to feel her own face.

I figure she needs some time for this to register (and I'm kind of sick of her), so I leave her to her own thoughts and go back inside. It's getting a bit chilly outside as the sun goes down, and I want to warm up in a certain boy's arms.

**Percy POV**

Darren spills his entire life story to me as we sit across from each other in the lounge. He tells me about everything; literally everything, from his pet turtle who turned out to be a plain old rock, to the time he got chicken pox in first grade and swallowed a thermometer. My head is throbbing by the time he takes a break from his story to take a sip of water. "What was the question again?" he asks me.

"Why were you and Ruby fighting?" I groan.

"Oh, right. So, when I was in fourth grade, my teacher, Mr. DiBartolomeo gave me a B on my science project, but I totally deserved an A because it was a volcano that erupted chocolate pudding!"

"Darren," I butt in once more, "Could you please just answer the question? With less than fifty words, please."

"Uh… I don't know. I mean, she wanted to know who my godly parent was, so I told her. And then I asked hers, and she didn't know, and she got all pissed when I called her a half-orphan."

"What does that even mean?" I rub the sides of my head, closing my eyes.

"I don't know. I mean, I know a lot of things. I'm a child of Athena. We know a lot of things. Like the square root of pi! See, 1.77245385091…"

"Oh my gods," I groan, "Darren, please go. No more fights."

"Got it, colonel. Hey, did you know that Colonel Sanders real name was Harland?" Darren gets up and begins walking away, spouting out random facts to himself about fried chicken.

"Are you as exhausted as I am?" Annabeth comes up behind me and begins massaging my shoulders, which feels nice despite me being invulnerable.

"Probably," I sigh, rolling my neck to look at her. She smiles down at me, and kisses my lips upside down. "What time is it?"

"Not even seven o'clock yet. But hey, we deserve some sleep." She lets go of my shoulders and flops down in the chair opposite me, where Darren was sitting before.

"We could do something instead of sleep to pass the time," I suggest, studying her face. Seriously, I don't know how, but every day she gets even more beautiful to me.

"Oh? Like what?" she croons, knowing exactly what I'm about to say. I both hate it and love it when she knows things. Which is always.

"We could finish what we started in our room…" I half-smile, watching her watch me.

"What does finishing what we started look like?" she bites her lip, which I find irresistible.

"I guess we'll see when we get there," I smile, standing and offering her my hand. She takes it, and we make our way to the elevator together.


	37. Chapter 37

**Annabeth POV**

I sleep soundly and dreamlessly, not to mention throughout the whole night and into the next day. The curtains are closed over the one window in the bedroom, which is why the sun didn't wake me up.

I stretch my legs out and sit up, my hair flying in front of my face. I blow it out of the way and attempt to tame it with my fingers as best I can.

Percy isn't in bed, and his side is cold; he woke up and left a while ago. I sigh and pull myself out from under the covers. Cool air brushes my stomach, the same way his fingers did last night. I wrap my arms around myself and smirk on my way to the bathroom.

I fix my hair, wash my face, and change clothes; Percy left me a clean pair, this time a purple tank top and another pair of shorts.

In our kitchen, I find the refrigerator stuffed full of breakfast foods, even though it's probably about eleven. I pick out a plate of scrambled eggs and sausage and pop it in the microwave for a minute. Then, I quickly scarf down the contents of the plate and decide to go look for my Seaweed Brain.

It's warm outside on deck, and a few demigods float in the pool. I wave to them, but he isn't there with them.

After I search back inside, ask a few people if they've seen him, and have them tell me no, I begin to get worried. I find myself back outside, leaning on the railing, looking out over the ocean. It sparkles blue-green, nearly the same color as Percy's eyes. There's no sign of land in any direction.

For a second, I think I hear someone call my name, but it sounds distant, far away. I turn back towards the deck, but no one's looking my way.

Something hits my head lightly from behind, and I spin around to look back at the ocean, where the projectile came from. I have to stagger backwards to avoid getting hit in the face by a stream of water. I duck out of its way and peer back over the side cautiously.

He's down in the ocean, bouncing in the waves beside the boat, grinning up at me.

I cross my arms and half-smile, watching as he shoots himself through a water cannon and back onto the deck beside me. He lands on his feet, but then slips on the water and hits the ground with a thud.

"Smooth," I smile, offering him my hand.

"That could've been so cool," he sighs, pulling himself up and running his fingers through his hair. He's totally dry, not to mention shirtless.

"I thought _you_ got kidnapped this time," I say, punching his arm. He lunges at me and, despite my protesting, pulls me into a giant hug that lifts me off the ground.

"Sorry," he says, putting me down but not letting go of my waist, "I didn't want to wake you up."

"How early did you get up?" I ask, reaching up and wrapping my arms around his neck.

"Like, six." He mutters, leaning in and kissing me.

I pull away with wide eyes, "Why did you get up so early?"

"Bad dream," He leans in to kiss me again, but I dodge his mouth.

"Why didn't you wake me up?" I look him in the eye, but he's staring at my lips.

"You needed sleep. Would you just let me kiss you?" he pouts. I roll my eyes, but the edges of my mouth turn upward.

"Yo Percy!" someone calls just as Percy's lips are about to touch mine. He groans and pulls away from me ruefully.

"What?" He yells back, "Can't you see we're having a moment?"

"You two live in a 'moment'," Grover's face shimmers to my right, where his IM has apparently come through.

"G-man!" Percy goes in for a fist bump, but his hand passes through Grover's head. "Well, crap."

"Grover! What's up?" I push Percy to the side.

"Chiron wanted me to check up on you two. Last he heard, _you_ were kidnapped," he points at me, "And _you_ were going crazy," his finger trails to Percy.

"We totally forgot to message Camp," I look at Percy, stunned.

"Awesome," he groans sarcastically, "Okay, Grover, let Chiron know that we'll be arriving with a butt-load of demigods in about four days. They need a place to stay until they can contact their parent… some might stay permanently, I don't know."

Grover's looking at us like we're crazy, "Where the Hades did you find so many kids?"

I raise my hand, "They were captured with me."

"By who?" he lifts a soup can to his mouth and begins nibbling on it.

"Whom." I correct, "And Bia."

"Oooh," Grover chuckles, "That's why Mr. D disappeared. The gods are having a council meeting over what to do with Bia."

"I doubt any of them are happy with her. She had a child of each of gods, both major and minor there." I point out.

"Yeah, but not all godly parents care about their mortal kids," Percy shrugs, "I mean, I hope she gets put in Tartarus or something, but there isn't an abundance of compassion for us in Olympus."

I nod, "Keep us in the loop, Grover."

"Will do. You two doing alright?" he scratches his head, narrowly avoiding his horns. They're fairly large now, although not very lethal looking.

"We're great," Percy smiles, glancing at me, "Tell Chiron we're doing good."

Grover nods, and his image vanishes.

"Can we kiss now?" Percy pouts down at me.

I push him away playfully and begin walking in the opposite direction, "We have things to do, Seaweed Brain."

"Like what?" he laughs, catching up to me, "We're on a cruise in the middle of the ocean. There's nothing to do, Annabeth! For once, you're allowed to relax!"

I spin on my heel to face him and laugh, "Relax? Percy, if you haven't noticed, this is kind of one of the most stressful situations we could ever be in. We're practically trapped on this boat if any monsters invade, all of these kids are untrained and unarmed, and they're all under our supervision. We're responsible for ninety-one lives here!"

He snorts, "You counted? Can you just…" he takes a deep breath and sighs, "Okay, look. We're on a boat. I know that. I can take out anything on a boat. This is where I'm strongest, and if each and every kid on this ship is my responsibility, then that's fine! I'll take care of it. I just want you to enjoy yourself."

I make a face and turn around, the beginnings of a headache creeping into my skull. "We should've asked Chiron for back up."

"So he would've sent more campers for us to watch over? Nothing's gone wrong yet, Annabeth."

"Yet…" I bite my lip, "Don't say yet."

"I'm sorry." He puts his hand on my shoulder, and I turn to face him. His eyebrows are pulled together.

"I'll try." I tell him.

"Try what?" He asks, twirling a piece of my hair between his fingers.

"To relax. You're right. I'm freaking out over nothing."

He smiles, "You're always freaking out over nothing."

"Sorry," it's my turn to apologize. I take his hand and intertwine our fingers. Then I begin walking.

"Where are we going?" he asks, following my lead.

"I'm going to relax. You're going to help." I lead him to the elevator. Once the doors shut, I kiss him hard on the mouth. He's surprised at first, but he soon melts into it, and his hands find my body.

When the elevator opens on our floor, we don't notice at first. Then a young boy waiting to get on the elevator clears his throat, and we pull apart. But only slightly.

We practically stumble to our room, not wanting to break apart, and once the door is closed behind us, I lift my shirt over my head and lean back into our kiss. Percy's fingers dig into my ribs as he grabs me and presses me against the wall, pinning me against his bare chest. I scratch at his back, pulling him impossibly closer as his lips move from my mouth to my neck, just below my ear.

"Relaxed yet?" he barely whispers, his breath tickling my ear.

"Quite the opposite," I breathe, pulling his face back to mine.

I wrap my leg around his waist, and he grabs my thigh, his other hand tangled in my hair.

I'm almost to where I'm forgetting about what could go wrong, when something does.

The boat shudders, and the floor bounces unexpectedly. I tumble away from Percy, onto the ground, and he staggers backwards into the kitchen countertop. His eyes meet mine, and he sighs. "Yet." He says.

**((A/N I was in an extremely Percabeth-y mood :) Sorry about another cliffhanger, but they're my fa****vorites. R&R hehe :D))**


	38. Chapter 38

**((A/N Sorry it's been a week since I updated... My life is _crazy!_ So I wanted something important to happen this chapter, and this is what popped into my head. Sorry it's another cliffy... and sorry I keep saying sorry ;) I'm already working on the next chapter, and if you're lucky, it's going up to night! But only if you REVIEW! :D))**

** Percy POV**

"Our bow thruster is malfunctioning, which is causing the starboard stabilizing fin to unbalance," Adam, the son of Hephaestus, explains, leading Annabeth and I down to the ship's engine room.

"Is the port side fin still functioning?" I ask.

"For now." He sighs.

"So the boat is leaning because all of the momentum is coming from the back propeller, and the rudder is turned so that we stay on course?" Annabeth pops into the conversation. She looks like she's struggling, and the fact that I know more about something than she does is obviously driving her nuts.

"No, if the rudder was turned, we'd just be going in circles. The reason the floor is now at an angle," Adam points down to the ground, which tilts noticeably yet only slightly, "Is because one of the stabilizers is being bent under the pressure of the water."

Annabeth scrunches her eyebrows together, "I don't understand."

I put a comforting arm around her shoulders, "Welcome to my world." She smirks up at me, although not quite forgetting her ignorance.

"How do we fix it?" she asks.

Adam shrugs, "We just have to figure out why the bow thruster stopped working."

Annabeth pushes past both of us and stands near a control panel, her fingers over her lips in concentration. "Can you get me blueprints of the ship, Adam?"

"I guess. I don't know how that's going to help," he shrugs, but disappears around the corner a second later.

"What are you planning?" I come over to look at the flashing lights on the panel that mean absolutely nothing to me. Boat talk? I've got this. Electricity? Forget it.

"I'm thinking it was a power issue. According to the labels on this panel, all of the ships main functions are connected through a parallel series, which means that their current is independent. If the pow thruster-"

"Bow thruster…" I correct. She glares at me, then continues her explanation.

"If the bow thruster lost its current, the problem could easily be solved by sending a line of voltage through the functioning parts."

"I'm sorry," I scratch my head, "I didn't understand anything after 'I'm thinking'…"

She grins up at me, "And once again, all is as it should be."

Adam reenters the room holding a white tube. He hands it to Annabeth, who pulls out the blueprints and begins studying them, making comments about the structural soundness (or whatever).

"Aha!" she cries victoriously, "I was right!"

Adam looks my way, "I get the feeling she says that a lot."

We both crack up, but Annabeth punches my arm and points at a seemingly random point on the paper with a lines of numbers on it. "Adam, send exactly fifty-nine volts through the main engine system and see what happens."

Adam seems to understand, because he leans over the control panel and flips a few switches. Something deep inside the boat groans, and then we begin to lean, back towards the normal 180 degree angle floors should be parallel to.

"You're a genius!" I exclaim.

"Thanks!" Annabeth and Adam chime simultaneously.

**Annabeth POV**

I know I'm a child of Athena and all, but I still like being complimented on my brilliance. I mean, technically, it's my superpower; Percy can breathe underwater and bend it to his will, and I can do long division in my head. Doesn't always seem fair, but I put it to good use.

"Let's try to keep the malfunctioning thrusters to a minimum," I smirk towards Adam, who rolls his eyes in response.

"My ideal vacation is spent disaster-free."

"Yeah, me too." I laugh, "Thanks again."

He shrugs, "No problemo. It's kind of my purpose in life."

"I know how that feels," I snort, turning towards the stairwell that leads outside.

Percy follows me, and once we're out of hearing range from Adam, he whispers, "You know how what feels?"

I keep ascending the stairs, but shrug, "Having a purpose handed to me."

"What's that supposed to mean?" he asks as we break out of the hot engine room and into the cool evening air. The sun is just beginning to set, and the water looks orange.

I turn to look at him, "Just that I don't get to choose who I am. With mortals, their parents don't really influence their natural personalities. As demigods, certain abilities are forced upon us, and others are literally impossible for us to learn."

"That's not true," he retaliates, "Anyone can do anything if they're determined enough."

I place my hands on my hips, "So you could stand in the middle of a blazing fire for an hour, because of your determination?"

"That's not what I meant!" he groans.

"But that's what you said," I say, "You aren't able to, but Hephaestus kids can withstand immense heat. Because of their father."

"So, what, are you not proud to be outstandingly brilliant? Annabeth, I of all people know how stupid it is to be stupid."

I purse my lips, "You're not stupid."

He laughs, "Yes! I am! I practically failed kindergarten."

"You're just lazy," I half-smile.

"And stupid," he chuckles, "It's a good thing you're always around to correct me."

"And I always will be," I wink, "Although it'd be kind of cool to have a special power."

"You do," Percy smiles, his eyes sparkling.

"Intelligence is not a superpower." I sigh.

"I was going to say exceptionally great kisser, but intelligence is a close-second." He laughs, pulling me close. I wrap my arms around his neck, and lean into him.

**Percy POV**

Something hits me. Hard.

One second, I'm holding Annabeth, and the next, we're both flying through the air. I couldn't grab the railing of the boat, since everything happened so fast, and right now, I'm extremely disoriented. Wind rushes through my hair and ears, and my arms flail aimlessly. The world spins orange and blue.

I figure that, since I haven't hit the water yet, we've been shot upward. How far up, I don't know, but what I do know is that if Annabeth is going the same speed I am, she'll be flattened like a pancake when she hits the water.

Somewhere in the muddle of my senses, I hear screaming. I focus on that one point and will the water to reach up. With my ADHD and everything going on, I can only hope I've helped Annabeth as I smack into the water and slow to a stop.

Now, anyone else would have broken bones and internal bleeding, but I happen to both be invincible and the son of Poseidon, so naturally, I'm unharmed. Actually, the feeling of the water around me sharpens my senses.

Annabeth floats a few yards away, above the surface, her feet kicking to stay afloat. I swim up next to her and break through the waves.

"What the _hell_?" she sputters, her hair dripping in front of her eyes. She's watching the ship, which is about a mile away from us.

"Are you alright?" I ask. A cut runs along her forehead, but it's not very deep.

"Am I _alright_?" She snorts, "What just happened?"

"I don't know," I say, wrapping my arm around her waist so that she doesn't have to struggle to stay above the waves anymore. She's breathing heavily, and even though she seems okay, I'm instinctually worried.

"Can you get us back to the boat?" she grumbles, clinging to my dry shirt. She's soaking wet, but when she touches my skin, her hair bounces back to curls, as dry as they had been before she hit the water.

"Yeah, I can-" I'm cut off as something tugs on my ankles, below the water.

"What?" she gives me a weird look.

"Do you feel that?" I ask as the tugging gets harder. I kick, but nothing holds onto me. It's like the water is dragging me down.

"Feel what?" her eyebrows knit.

"Something's pulling on me." I grunt. She opens her mouth to reply, but her response is cut short as we're sucked under the surface. The grip on my ankle tightens, and I'm dragged downward at such a high speed, I lose my grip on Annabeth. She slips through my fingers, and I watch as she tries to swim after me, kicking frantically, air bubbles trailing from her mouth. I can feel her heartbeat in the water, speeding up as she loses oxygen. Then, out of desperation, she kicks towards the surface, towards air, and away from me.


	39. Chapter 39

**((A/N YEAH! Action! Okay, I might maybe just probably could put more a little bit more extra effort into possibly writing one single more chapter tonight... if that's what you want :) But you gotta let me know! R&R))**

**Annabeth POV**

I can honestly say I've never felt this hopeless. Not even when I was seven years old, living in alleyways and fighting off monsters. At least then I knew where I was.

Right now, I have no resources, no sense of direction, and no idea where Percy just disappeared to. But I know he's okay. Despite the fact that he's been underwater for five minutes now, he can't drown, can't get eaten by sharks, and has his father to watch over him. Me on the other hand… I'm just hoping that Poseidon recognizes my frantic doggy-paddle. I'm no Olympic swimmer, and I'm getting tired fast.

I try to dive underneath the water to search for Percy a few times, but the saltwater burns my eyes, and the ocean below me doesn't seem to end. I can't see the floor, no matter how deep I dive, which absolutely terrifies me.

"Hey… um, Poseidon?" I call out into nowhere. It's sort of my last ditch attempt before I begin deeply worrying about my situation. "I know I'm not your kid, so it's understandable if you have better things to do… but I'm sort of screwed at the moment, and Percy may need my help. Wherever he is. So… could you maybe, I don't know, send me a scuba mask or something? Or maybe have the ship come back for me?"

Nothing replies verbally, although the waves I've been struggling to stay above seem to level out. Then a bubble about two feet in front of me surfaces and pops, leaving something in its place. I reach out and find a small piece of paper balanced on a floating shell.

_ Ms. Chase,_

_ I am truly sorry I cannot see you personally, but I am having trouble at my palace at the moment. I do know, however, that something is wrong. I cannot locate Perseus's exact position, which should be possible, considering my identity._

_ To help you, I must only deliver a set of instructions: turn the pearl clockwise._

_ I hope to see you soon,_

_ Poseidon_

Immediately, I'm aware of the ring on my finger that has become so normal to me that I'd almost forgotten about it. My anniversary present, from Percy. The pearl.

I hold my hand up, the ring reflecting the final rays of sun as day turns to night. With my other hand, I reach up and turn the pearl clockwise, just as Poseidon instructed. I feel no different, but I'm in no position to doubt a god.

To test it out, I flip so that my face is in the water and, ignoring every instinct, take a deep breath. I expect my mouth and nose to flood with seawater. So when they don't, I hyperventilate.

It takes me a few tries to get the hang of breathing underwater, but when I can do it without panicking, I waste no time in diving deep. Not even hesitating, because I know he's down there.

**Percy POV**

I understand what's going on the moment I see who dragged me down here, to this underwater cave. She's absolutely gorgeous, but I'm not in the least thrilled to see her.

"Amphitrite," I nod in mock respect. I try not to show her how much it sucks to not be able to move. The water swirls around me in a makeshift prison, and for once, I have no control over it.

"Perseus. Always a pleasure," She nods back, her crab claws snapping by the sides of her head.

"The pleasure's all mine," I grit my teeth, straining against the water. I concentrate, but it barely flexes.

"No need for flattery, boy. And stop that struggling. I'm a goddess. You're a mortal." She hisses, her black hair floating around her.

"To what do I owe this pleasure?" I ask sarcastically.

"To jealousy, I suppose." Amphitrite hums, "You see, my son, Triton, the rightful heir to Aegae-"

I cut her off, "He can't be an heir to an immortal."

A flash of light crosses my vision as she whips her net towards me. It slaps me in the face, but it doesn't hurt me. "How dare you interrupt me!" she cries. Then, upon seeing me uninjured, her face contorts into one of curious criticism. "Oh… Poseidon didn't tell me you followed in the steps of Achilles."

"Proceed back to why I'm here?" I suggest.

"Interesting… you're invincible, then?" she grins, her teeth pearly white.

"I suppose so," I grunt, "Could you please tell me why I'm here?"

"I'm going to kill you, of course." She snorts, "You've replaced my son as Poseidon's favorite. Something must be done about that."

"Triton could just be a better son," I shrug, "He could maybe save all of Olympus, or not be such a selfish prude."

Amphitrite's net whips out at me again, but it doesn't hurt me again. She screams in frustration, "I'll just have to find your Achilles spot then!"

"Oh, I seriously doubt you'll have time for that. See, my girlfriend is sort of protective… she'll send an army after me at any moment." I say, totally bluffing.

"Well, there's always another way…" Amphitrite begins to change, her horns retreating into her scalp and replacing themselves with nets that weave their way through her hair. The net in her hand forms to a spear, and her eyes ignite with fire.

"What just happened?" I ask, totally confused.

"I am Salacia." Amphitrite hisses.

"No, you're Amphitrite." I hiss back.

"Imbecile," she growls, "I am Salacia, Roman counterpart to Amphitrite."

I cock my head to the side, "What the Hades is going on?"

She begins to chant something in Latin that I can't make out, and she reaches out the lay a finger on my forehead. It's sort of awkward for me, but I just go along with it, since I can't really move.

About thirty seconds later, after I've made every hilariously idiotic comment I can, something in the mouth of the cave catches my eye.

"Annabeth?" I mutter under my breath without thinking. Amphitrite's (Salacia's) eyes open and she looks over her shoulder into the shadows where Annabeth has just swam.

Then, just as I was pulled from the surface of the ocean, Annabeth is yanked from her hiding spot and into Salacia's grip.

"So this is the girlfriend?" Salacia digs her nails into Annabeth's arm.

"How are you…?" I look at her.

"Percy, it is not the time to be asking questions," Annabeth grits her teeth, struggling.

"But…" I stutter, completely stunned. She's breathing. Underwater.

Salacia seems to notice something I don't, and grabs Annabeth's hand. "Neptune!" Salacia screams, using my father's Roman name. Then I see it. Annabeth's ring.

In one swift movement, Annabeth yanks her arm from Salacia's grip and whips her knife out. She slices towards the goddess, but I can tell she's not used to the weight of the water slowing her momentum, because she misses by a few inches. Salacia has to dodge, however, and in that break of her concentration, I'm able to break free of her watery hold. Desperate to just get out of here, I blast Salacia into the nearest wall, and begin to swim towards the entrance to the cave. That's when I realize Annabeth hasn't said anything.

I turn back and see her body floating in the water, limp and wet. The ring is no longer on her finger… it's sitting in the sand next to Salacia's hand. Panicking, I form an air bubble around Annabeth's head, grab her hand, and will the water to shoot us up as fast as possible.

We break the surface, but even then I have the water propel us further, determined to get back to our ship. I can feel the vibrations of the boat in the water, and follow them, calculating our distance to be approximately twenty miles.

Annabeth stays limp in my arms, but I don't have time to check and make sure she's alright; if we stay in this water, Amphitrite… Salacia… _whatever _her name is will come back and kill us both.

When the boat is finally in sight, I am absolutely exhausted. In one final spurt of energy, I shoot us both up, as high as I can. We sail over the railing of the ship, and right as I hit the deck, I black out.

**Annabeth POV**

As soon as I wake up, I have to run (or stumble, rather) to the bathroom to reach the toilet in time. I heave up whatever food I've eaten lately, and then crumple to the tile floor of the bathroom. I'm in a cold sweat, my head is spinning, my ears are ringing, and my stomach, although now empty, threatens to empty itself again. I find myself bending over to spit bile into the toilet as well.

Not until my stomach is completely empty do I realize I don't know where I am.

I pull myself up onto my feet, leaning against the wall to keep my balance as I wobble out of the bathroom, and into a room that looks like the infirmary back home. Many beds are lined against the walls, and separated by white curtains. The beds with people in them have a small binder hanging from the end, mine included. I flip mine open and read.

_Annabeth Chase (17) - Audio-vestibular DCS – Keep on oxygen. Possible decompression required._

I guess being a child of Athena does have its perks, because I understand what this diagnosis is saying, for the most part. I have the Bends, in my ears. That explains the dizziness and vomiting.

That also explains why I'm not dead at the bottom of the ocean. Percy got me out, and I assume we're back on the ship.

A teenaged girl with a clipboard walks into the room, and when she sees me, she smiles. "Hello, Annabeth. I'm Wren, daughter of Apollo." She holds her hand out to me, and I shake it politely. "I understand that you're eager to get up, but I do recommend that you stay immobilized for the next twelve hours, as symptoms often multiply over time."

"Okay," I say, crawling back into my bed, thankful for an excuse to sit down. The room has started to spin.

"You have been unconscious for about thirty-six hours," Wren begins to talk, and all I can do is listen. Even lying down, I feel as though I'm about to fall over. "You were seen falling from the sky, landing on the Verandah deck at approximately nine o'clock post meridian two nights ago. You didn't suffer any broken bones, although we have yet to search for signs of a concussion… however, considering you've woken up, even if you have one it isn't fatal."

"Percy…?" I form his name and force air through my lungs to say it.

"Ah, yes. Percy was found with his right arm pinned underneath your own body, with an extra-articular, displaced fracture in his radius, and an oblong closed fracture in his ulna."

My mind swims, and for a moment I don't believe I've heard her correctly. "I'm sorry?"

"Percy has broken his arm in two different places," Wren repeats a bit simpler.

"But… he can't." I sit up, "He can't break bones. He has the curse of Achilles."

"Tell that to his cast," Wren shrugs, "X-rays don't lie. We have already performed surgery, and he's in recovery at the moment. He wanted to see you, but you've both been anesthetized for quite a while."

"Surgery?" I ask, pressing the heels of my hands to my temples, "You can't cut his skin. He can't have surgery."

"I'm sorry, dear." Wren places her hand on my shoulder, "We can figure this all out later. But at the moment, you need to rest. I'm going to administer some more anesthesia, if that's alright with you."

It's not alright with me, but before I can form the correct words, Wren has stuck me with a needle, and I'm sinking back into sleep.


	40. Chapter 40

**((A/N Kind of a short chapter, but I wanted to get it up ASAP. What are you most excited to see in the upcoming chapters? Annabeth moving into the Jackson's? Percy dealing with his injury? R&R :)))**

**Percy POV**

Of course I'm panicking. But I've come to terms with the fact that I'm in excruciating pain for the first time since I bathed in the Styx. I don't know why, but Annabeth might, if they ever let me see her. One of my 'nurses' (really, just a child of Apollo) told me she'd been diagnosed with the Bends, which I guess is my fault, but she'll be back to normal in a day or two. Me, however… I have to wear this darned cast for a week, even with ambrosia and nectar to speed up the healing process.

Finally, one of the Apollo kids, Wren, comes in and tells me I'm allowed to visit Annabeth. I practically jump out of my bed, and follow her through double doors to the second infirmary hall, where the sick stay. I was placed in the 'injured' hall, but I suppose the Bends counts as an illness.

She's at the very end of the row, curled underneath her blankets like she's cold. Her breathing is shaky, and she looks pale.

"Is she okay?" I whisper, afraid to wake her.

"Oh, yeah, she's fine." Wren shrugs, "She's probably just having a nightmare. Try not to get her out of bed, though, she might pass out… and she might throw up, so be careful."

"That doesn't sound okay," I roll my eyes, leaning forward and brushing my fingers against her face. Her eyes flutter groggily, and she rolls onto her side. When she sees me, she smiles and yawns.

"Seaweed Brain," she mumbles contently.

"Hey, Wise Girl, are you feeling okay?" I lean in towards her.

"Handy dandy," she giggles, "Fit as a fiddle."

I turn to look at the nurse, "What's wrong with her?"

She purses her lips, "Heavy anesthesia. She'll be a bit loopy for a few minutes, but her head shoulder clear fairly fast, considering her mother is Athena."

I swallow and turn back to Annabeth, who grins up at me expectantly. "I heard you got the Bends," I smile back at her.

She shrugs, "I just got to stay here for a bit. Tired."

"You've got to clear your head, Wise Girl. I need to talk to you," I say, brushing a curl from her face with my good hand.

"Can I sign your cast?" her eyes widen when she sees it.

"Only if you can tell me why I even need a cast," I sigh, scratching my head. I can slowly see light returning to her eyes.

"Why do you?" she asks, propping herself up.

"I broke my arm," I explain, although I'm sure she already knows.

"But…" she thinks hard for a moment, her nose crinkling, "You're invincible."

"Exactly." I smile, "You back?"

"What do you mean back?" she snorts, "I've been here the whole time."

"Yeah, you're back." I grin, "So why do you think my arm is broken?"

"Because I landed on it," she suddenly looks horrified, "Wren told me I broke your arm."

"Well, that's alright, because I gave you the Bends," I chuckle, "But we're both going to be okay."

"We always are," she sighs. "Tell me what happened."

I explain what went on with Amphitrite, and she listens carefully, staring at her hands and nodding when I say something she remembers.

"Salacia?" she groans when I'm done, "I didn't know this was possible."

Obviously, she understands something I don't. "What's possible?"

She ignores me, her eyebrows pulling together as she shakes her head, "No, how would that work?"

"How would what work?" I ask again.

Annabeth looks up at me, her lips pulled into a thin line, "The story of Achilles is Greek. When Salacia changed into her Roman form, she must have been able to supersede the cogency of the curse or something."

"Supersede the cogency?" I question hopelessly.

She sighs, "Sorry… It means she could override it."

"Are you kidding me?" I groan, "So it's not coming back?"

"Not unless you bathe in the Styx again," she says.

I shake my head, "No, I couldn't."

"Then you're just going to have to be more careful."

"But I'm not careful! I'm Percy!"

She smiles half-heartedly, "Yeah. You really are."

**Annabeth POV**

I'm labeled bedridden until later tonight, which is both wonderful and horrible. I have this intense desire to go upstairs and make sure everything and everyone are in order, but I'd probably end up puking my guts out before I even got to the lobby.

Percy is allowed to stay in the hospital with me, since the only other patient is a young boy with a seriously back case of sea-sickness… which happens to not be contagious. He sits on the edge of my bed, thinking quietly to himself.

I lay my head back on the pillow and absorb the silence, which is extremely rare in my life. I'm drifting off into unconsciousness when Percy lays his hand on my knee.

"I'm going to go upstairs and check on everything. I'll be back in a few minutes, okay?" I nod, and he kisses my forehead before swooping out of the room.

Almost immediately after he's gone, I fall asleep. My mind drifts from place to place, until I'm laying down in another bed; I'm in the Athena cabin at camp.

My brothers and sisters swarm the room, cleaning frantically and shoving piles of textbooks underneath the bunks. None of them seem to notice me as I wade through the chaos, finding my way outside.

"Clean faster!" Malcolm, the head of the cabin, orders behind me. I passed up on the opportunity to run the cabin when I realized I was already to stressed and busy to take care of my own life, let alone everyone else's. Malcolm is a good replacement; he's calm and collected… other than now.

Outside in the courtyard, dozens of trash bags line the houses, filled with crap that nobody ever really needed. Everyone looks energized and prepared.

"Annabeth?"

I whip around to see Chiron standing near the fountain in the center of the courtyard, his eyes trained on me. "You can see me?" I ask.

"Of course, my dear. I'm dreaming as well." He pats my shoulder and smiles down at me.

"You're asleep? But it's the middle of the day!" I exclaim.

Chiron grits his teeth, "Well, you see, there was an accident in the strawberry fields. Some barbed wire and a few extraordinarily slippery leaves has me in the infirmary, but all will be well. Just a few cuts and bruises."

"Oh gods," I cover my mouth, "It was an accident, right?"

Chiron laughs, "Of course, child. Not even the Stolls would be that mischievous." Then he pauses and looks at me, "Why are _you_ asleep?"

I bite my lip, unsure of what to tell him. "Well, Percy and I had an accident as well."

The centaur's eyes widen in surprise, "Another one? By Zeus, you two are accident prone."

"It was his fault," I defend myself, "But… something happened."

Chiron's eyebrows raise in silent inquisition.

I swallow, "Percy lost his invulnerability. Amphitrite…er… Salacia took it away, I think."

The silence that follows worries me, but then Chiron clears his throat, "That is quite unfortunate. I will have a word with the Olympians about this, but for now we must remember how much Perseus did before developing his Achilles in the first place. We both know he can survive without it."

"Yeah, but now that he's used to it, I'm afraid he'll do something stupid without thinking. Like jump off a roof, and only remember he's vulnerable a millisecond before he hits the ground."

Chiron nods thoughtfully, "He is quite mental."

"Seaweed for a brain," I smile, and Chiron smiles back. Then his image quivers, and shatters into a billion pieces as my eyes flutter open to the fluorescent lighting of the ship's infirmary.

"Annabeth?" someone says my name. I groan and pull myself into a present state of mind.

"I was in the middle of something," I complain, rubbing my throbbing temples.

"Well, finish it later," Percy bends over me, grinning, "We're home."


	41. Chapter 41

**((A/N Are you ready for this chapter? I seriously doubt it ;) R&R!))**

**Annabeth POV **

Just like in my dream, camp is cleaner than I've ever seen it. Everyone looks thrilled to be gaining so many new campers. Except for Chiron.

"Everything okay?" I come up beside him, directing all of the new demigods past the Golden Fleece tree. He's scratching his beard, and doesn't look down at me when he speaks.

"Of course, my dear."

"Chiron, please don't lie to me." I look up at him.

He sighs, "I am happy to have all of these demigods safe. That is not a lie."

"Then what's bothering you?"

"Other than you?" He winks down at me, "It's nothing, Annabeth. I do believe that there are children being claimed... I should go explain certain things."

He trots off, leaving me alone at the top of the hill. I take a deep breath and look out over the place I've called home for the majority of my life, watching it swarm with new faces. Chiron was right; most of the valley is washed in red glowing light as gods claim their newfound children.

"Hey, Chase!" Clarisse comes up beside me, brandishing her spear despite there being no threat.

"Clarisse," I nod in her direction, not really wanting to talk to her.

"I heard it's possible to beat up Jackson now. That true?" She snickers. I turn to her and grit my teeth.

"Look, if you want to pick a fight, Percy isn't the guy to do it with. He's a lot stronger than you, even with only one arm."

Clarisse laughs and slaps me on the back, so hard that I stumble a bit. "Chill out Blondie. I ain't looking for a fight. Just wanted to know if the rumors were true."

I glare at the back of her greasy head as she stalks away, threatening newbies with her famous Clarisse charm.

As the last of the ship's passengers spill onto the beach, they look like specks in the distance from where I stand. Once more, I was the engine and Percy the caboose, and I watch as he sends the ship back to ocean. It capsizes, and then shoots down into the water, leaving only bubbles in its place.

I pat the guard dragon on its snout, and then make my way down the hill towards my cabin. It's packed full, but something in the corner catches my eye. "Hey, Malcolm... When did we get a staircase? And where the Hades does it go?"

My half-brother grins when he sees me, "Annabeth! We've missed you!" He pulls me into a hug, and I laugh.

"Staircase! Where did it come from, and where does it go?"

"Right. Well, when we heard of all the new campers, we realized we're already out of bunks... So we got the Hephaestus cabin to add an extra floor. They did the same to Aphrodite, Hermes, and Ares, considering they are quite a fertile couple of gods..."

"But the cabin looks the same from outside!" I interrupt, unwilling to hear about the fertility levels of Olympians.

Malcolm smiles, "Enchantment. Pretty handy, if I say so myself."

Being me, I can't help but go and check out the second floor. It looks exactly the same as the first, except it smells like sawdust and, strangely enough, peaches. It's given us twenty-five new bunks, which I doubt we'll need, buy it's always nice to have extra. From my estimate, we should only be gaining around eight siblings.

"Annabeth!" Someone calls my name from downstairs, "Percy's here!"

I turn on my heel and make my way down the steps, slipping on the last one and landing on my butt. Malcolm laughs, offering me a hand.

"I've got to get used to stairs," I mumble, brushing myself off.

"The great Annabeth Chase. Kills monsters, beats Titans, defeated by stairs."

"Shut up Malcolm."

"Missed you too, Chase," he laughs.

Percy stands in the doorway, smirking at me with a half-smile that makes my heart flip. "Have a nice trip?"

"You're one to talk," I motion towards his arm, and he snorts.

"I did not fall. I flew."

"Right," I laugh, following him out into the courtyard where kids sit in circles, playing games and waiting to be claimed.

"So your cabin is going to be full," he says, "A lot fuller than mine." I immediately catch on, and turn to look at him.

"Chiron will never let me stay with you."

Percy shrugs, "Probably not. But... How long were you planning on staying?"

"What?" I ask.

"Well, now we're so behind on school. I didn't think we were staying at camp for long."

"Percy!" I exclaim, "We are not just dumping a hundred kids here and taking off! We have to help."

"I know," he pulls his mouth to one side, "I just remember you saying something about wanting to move in to casa de la Jackson."

My shoulders slump, "I do, Seaweed Brain. But I have responsibilities to uphold." He pouts, and I quickly add, "But a week tops. We'll leave camp in a week."

He scrunches up his face, and then sighs dramatically, "Fine."

"Fine," I smile, reaching up and kissing him.

"Hey! PDA!"

"G-Man!" Percy pulls away from me to bro-hug Grover.

"Hey, Grover," I say, giving him an actual hug. "How've you been?"

"Better than you two, apparently," he chuckles, "Feeling better?"

"Yeah," Percy and I say in unison.

"Good," He nods, "Well… Juniper's been cranky because we've been setting all the trash bags outside… I'd better get back to her before she buries me alive."

"That's a terrifying yet hilarious thought," Percy fist bumps Grover, who winks at me and then jogs away.

It's nearly lunch time, so we begin to round up the new campers and head towards the dining hall, directing them to their designated tables. I'm about to sit when I see Chiron staring at me from across the room. He's talking to a boy who's facing away from me, but his eyes are definitely on me. When I begin walking towards him, a look of panic flashes across his face. He whispers something urgently to the boy, and the boy quickly ducks away.

"Who was that?" I ask, crossing my arms.

"Who? What?" Chiron blinks at me, "Oh, just a camper who showed up while you were in Mali."

"Why don't you want me to meet him?" I ask, glancing over at the boy. He's sitting at the Hermes table, and his face is so familiar, I freeze for a moment. "Chiron… that's…"

"That's Alex Castellan." Chiron swallows, "Luke's brother."


	42. Chapter 42

**((A/N So, I have no idea how much longer this story is going to be, but I'm going to continue writing it until either _I_ lose interest, or my _readers_ do. I've been attempting to throw wrenches into whatever 'plot' is present, to make the story easier to continue writing, so let me know what you think.))**

**Percy POV**

I'm halfway through lunch before I realize Annabeth and Chiron are missing from the crowd. I ask Malcolm if he's seen them, but he just shrugs. That's when I know something's up.

I abandon my table and stalk up the hill towards the Big House, where I know they'll be. I walk up the steps, but before I even open the door I hear sobbing from inside. My throat tightens, and I decide to knock.

"It's me," I say, hoping one of them will let me in. The door opens a few seconds later, and Annabeth plows into me, forcing me to catch her before she hits the ground. Her eyes are red and her breath is shaky. "Oh gods, what's wrong?" I whisper, hugging her tightly.

"Percy," Chiron says from inside, "Come inside. We don't want to draw attention."

I nod, gathering Annabeth in my arms and entering the Big House, locking the door behind me. I move to sit on the couch, and Annabeth curls into my chest, her tears wetting my shirt.

"Chiron, what's happening?" I ask, stroking her hair.

The centaur takes a deep breath, "A new camper has arrived. Annabeth is… sensitive to his identity."

"Meaning…?" I ask, not in the mood for riddles.

Annabeth looks up at me and wipes her nose, "Luke. It's Luke's brother."

My mouth pops open, "What? Luke doesn't… didn't have a brother."

"That we'd heard of," Chiron clears his throat, "It seems Hermes went back to visit May Castellan in condolence after Luke ran away, when he was nine."

I try to do the math in my head, but my ADHD is kicking in, "So how old is he?" It's not too important of a question, but at the moment, I'm only thinking about Annabeth. If this boy is our age, it could cause some issues.

"He's almost thirteen." Chiron grimaces.

"The same age as when Luke showed up at camp," I piece it together.

Annabeth seems to have pulled herself together enough to sit up on her own, "I don't even know why I'm crying. It's stupid," she drags her hands across her eyes, "It's more of shock than anything else…"

"It's not stupid," I tell her, "You're handling it well, considering the circumstances."

She snorts, "Are you kidding me? Gods, I'm a mess."

"A hot mess," I add, hoping to lighten the tension. She looks over at me and runs her fingers through her hair, taking a deep shuddering breath.

"Take me out of here," she looks me in the eye, pleading, and it hurts my chest to see her like this.

"What?" I ask, not quite sure what she means.

"I can't be here. I need to live somewhere else."

"But you said-"

"Percy!" she almost yells, her eyes squeezing shut before opening again, "The circumstances have changed. I need to leave."

"Annabeth, you're not one to run away from things like this." I bite my lip, "You could change your mind in the morning."

"No. As long as Alex is here, I can't be. I'd rather be in a cell back in Mali."

"What about all the new demigods?" I ask.

Chiron sets a hand on my shoulder, "I can handle them, Perseus."

"I know you can, but Chiron, I know Annabeth. If she runs away from this, it'll just destroy her over a longer period of time."

Annabeth sucks in a sharp breath next to me, and I turn to look at her. She's staring at the wall, biting her lip. "You're right."

I run my fingers along her spine comfortingly, "Do you want to try staying just one day?"

She nods, "I can do one day. Probably." Then she turns to Chiron, "I know it's against camp rules… but I can't stay in my cabin tonight. Everyone knows."

Chiron scratches his beard, his face thoughtful. He purses his lips, and then sighs, "I suppose you may stay in Cabin Three, just for tonight. If you swear on the Styx to sleep in separate bunks.

"I swear on the Styx," I say, slightly disappointed, yet unbelievably relieved. Annabeth follows up with her own promise.

Chiron nods, and leaves through the front door. Annabeth leans back into me, and buries her face in my neck. I put my good arm around her, and she whispers, "Thank you" before drifting to sleep. The rhythm of her heart against my chest, and her slow, steady breathing lull me into unconsciousness as well.

When I wake up, Annabeth is across the room, with a shoe box in her lap. She's looking at pictures.

"Hey," I groan, stiff from the couch, "What time is it?"

"Eight. We missed dinner." She sighs, pulling her legs up to sit Indian style.

"We slept for eight hours?" I sit up, stretching. I accidentally conk myself in the eye with my cast, "Ouch."

"We kind of deserved a good long nap," she smiles half-heartedly. She fingers the edge of the picture she's holding.

"When did you get up?" I ask.

"Like fifteen minutes ago." She holds up the shoe box, "Went up to the attic to grab a few things."

I nod, understanding. "Memories might help."

She smiles, but it looks more like a wince, "Pictures of Thalia and Luke and I. It hurts, but yeah, they might help with Alex."

I scratch my head, "Does Thalia know?"

Annabeth shakes her head, "If she did, she'd be here by now. I don't really know how she would handle it. Maybe worse than me."

"She'd probably set a few things on fire," I agree.

Annabeth laughs shortly, "No kidding. Somebody would wind up dead. But there's no way she would cry..."

"Wait, you're not still embarrassed, are you?" I scold, "You reacted like anyone else in the world, besides Thalia, would."

Her gray eyes look up at me. I can practically see a thunderstorm happening in them, different shades of gray and silver rolling like clouds. Then she sighs, and they return to a solid color. "I'm not going to be able to sleep well tonight."

"Me neither. We can stay up and watch a movie?" I suggest.

"Anything but Finding Nemo," she teases.

"You can pick." I smile at her, and she smiles back. A real smile, not like the fake ones she's been forcing.

"Even if it's a documentary on the construction of the Golden Gate Bridge?"

"As long as I'm with you," I say quietly, "Speaking of San Francisco... Your family is probably worried. Or, your Dad and brothers anyway."

She nods, "I had Malcolm call them. I wasn't really in the mood to talk."

She sets the shoebox on a coffee table and comes to sit by me, holding a picture between her fingers. She holds it out to me and I take it. It's a picture of Annabeth at seven years old, with Luke and Thalia on either side of her. They're all wearing ratty clothes and smiling, although Luke isn't looking at the camera. He's grinning down at little Annabeth, who holds his hand.

"He really loved you." I say quietly.

She nods, "This was taken the day before we got to camp. Before Thalia got turned into a tree, and my life spiraled out of control. It was... It was perfect back then."

My heart constricts, and I can't help but feel jealous, which makes me also feel guilty. Annabeth seems to notice because she laces her fingers through mine.

"Percy, no matter how great it was back then, I'd much rather be living an imperfect life with you than a perfect one with Luke. I loved him like a brother. You are so much more than he ever was."

I pull my lips together, "You deserve perfect, though."

She laughs, "Nobody deserves perfect. But I got pretty darn lucky with you, Seaweed Brain."

"Luck had nothing to do with it," I smile, squeezing her hand, "Just promise me you won't leave me for this Alex kid."

"He's twelve."

"Promise." I repeat sternly.

"I promise," she signs, "Now how about we stop hiding out in the Big House? The campfire is about to start."

**Annabeth POV**

It's dark outside, and the gold flames from the fire dance high up with the energy of all the new campers. They cast long, dark shadows behind each person. My eyes dart frantically around, looking for a certain twelve year old that I seriously want to avoid at all costs. Alex probably doesn't know who I am, but just seeing his face could set me off… it's so much like Luke's. He has the same blonde, well-groomed hair, the same piercing blue eyes, and the same single dimple on his left cheek when he smiles. He might as well be Luke at twelve, except for Alex hasn't yet developed a wicked scar.

"Annabeth…you're crushing my hand." Percy leans down and whispers close to my ear. I realize the tips of my fingers tingle from loss of circulation.

"Sorry. I forgot I can actually hurt you now," I smile up at him, hoping he doesn't see how truly freaked out I am. He smiles in return, and hums along to the music, quite off key.

I look up at his face out of the corner of my eye and study it. Percy is the exact opposite of Luke, with unruly black hair, soft green eyes, and a smirk that reads trouble. And I realize that what I said to him earlier was true; I'd rather live in hell with him than anywhere else without.

"Excuse me," someone behind me mumbles, pushing past and through the crowd. My breath catches in my throat, and my heart speeds up. My skin feels electric where Alex brushed past me. I find myself leaning forward, towards the parting in the crowd where he walked.

I let go of Percy's hand and, without thinking, instinctually follow him. Percy calls my name, but I lose him in the sea of swaying people. I'm sure I step on some toes, and probably elbow a few shorter kids in the face, but I eventually catch up to Alex and reach out, placing my fingers gingerly on his shoulder. He turns around, and I freeze.

"Um… hi." He raises his eyebrows in question. I open my mouth to reply, but nothing comes out.

_Pull yourself together_, I tell myself, _He's just a kid._

"Hi." I'm able to say. My voice sounds small and squeaky.

"Can I help you or something?" he asks. I feel lightheaded, like I'm going to pass out.

"I don't…" I mutter, shaking my head.

"Okay…" Alex cocks his head to the side, and all I see in that moment is Luke. My vision blurs with tears, and my knees go weak. "Are you alright?"

I shake my head vigorously, trying to find a place to sit, but my sight is filling with white spots.

"Medic!" Alex calls out, his voice strong and loud. I slowly sink to the ground, putting my face in my hands and focusing on breathing. I feel a hand reach out and touch my shoulder, and I jerk away.

"Don't touch her," I hear Percy come up behind me. "Go!" he orders firmly.

A few Apollo medics come over to me, but Percy waves them away.

"She'll be okay," he tells them.

"She's having an anxiety attack." A medic counters.

I shake my head, digging the heels of my palms into my eyes, "No. I'm okay."

The medic shrugs and turns away as Percy offers me his good hand. I take it, and pull myself into his hug.

He gets his lips close to my ear and mutters, "Are you really okay?" He's not talking about my health.

I shake my head.


	43. Chapter 43

**((:)))**

**Annabeth POV**

About halfway through the campfire, I leave Percy behind to go decapitate some dummies in the arena. It's quiet here, so far from the amphitheater that the only sound is that of a gentle breeze, and my raspy breathing. I grip my knife hilt and begin thrashing, letting all my frustration and angst out on these hay-filled mannequins. I can handle anything, but this situation is really pushing me past my limits.

I slice and smash until my legs go weak, and my forehead is coated in sweat. It's probably time to go to the cabins, but I can't bring myself to leave the arena just yet. Sitting on the ground, I begin to draw pictures in the dirt with my knife tip.

Letting my hand guide me, the dirt is soon covered in the image of a younger me, crouched behind a dumpster, prepared to fight for my life. My stomach twists, but I keep drawing, sick and tired of bawling like a baby. I add Thalia and Luke's profiles. I draw Thalia's tree.

The arena door opens with a groan, and I expect Percy to walk in. But it's not Percy. It's Alex.

"You're Annabeth. Right?" he asks, unsure of himself.

I find my voice, "Yes. And you're Alex."

He nods, "Percy Jackson sent me. He said… you needed to talk to me."

I swallow the lump in my throat, and bite my lip. I begin to say yes, but then I stop short as Alex takes a step forward and looks at the ground.

His eyes trail over my pictures, and his brows furrow. "You're really good at drawing."

"I'm an architect," I tell him quietly. Luke would have known that. Maybe this boy isn't Luke, like my head has been making him out to be.

"That's cool." Alex stares at the image of Luke that I've drawn, "Who is that?"

I take a deep breath, "That's Luke."

"Luke…" he mutters under his breath, "My mom used to call me Luke. Never knew why."

My chest feels like it's being stepped on by an elephant. "Your mother was May Castellan."

Alex's head whips up and he looks at me like I've sprouted a third eye, "How'd you know?"

I smile weakly, "Alex, would you like to sit?"

And then I tell him. I tell him everything, from when I was seven years old, to when Luke sacrificed himself up in Olympus, overrun by Kronos. I tell Alex how his brother ended up a hero. I explain why May called him Luke: she was so devastated by the loss of her first son, it drove her insane. All she wanted was Luke back. And Alex is a mini-Luke.

When I'm finished, we both sit in silence for nearly ten minutes. Alex stares at my drawings, and I can practically see his mind processing my story, deciding whether or not to believe me. When he speaks, his voice cracks. "I'm just a replacement?"

"No!" my heart shatters, "You're a demigod. Every demigod is special, and unique. You aren't Luke." When I say it, I believe it, and suddenly I'm okay. I'm okay. I'm okay.

Alex nods, "It's a lot to live up to."

"Don't even worry about that," I reassure him, "How amazing you are doesn't depend on how many people know what you've done."

"Easy for you to say. You're a hero around here." He pokes at the ground.

I shake my head, "I've done some things that anyone else could have done."

"Not from what I hear. You saved Olympus."

"With help." I lick my lips, "This isn't even about me. It's about you, and no one but you."

Alex looks up at me and half-smiles, "Do you think I'll ever turn evil like Luke did?"

I shrug, "Even the strongest can be manipulated. Just watch your back, and choose the right friends."

"Are you a 'right friend'?" he looks up at me, his blue eyes sparkling despite the night.

"Depends," I smile, "It's pretty late, and I'm not in the mood to get eaten by harpies."

Alex laughs, "Thank you, Annabeth."

"Thank YOU." I smile, standing and offering him my hand. When he takes it, I no longer feel electricity. We walk out of the arena together, and then divert in separate direction, him entering the Hermes cabin, me finding my way to Poseidon's.

When I walk through the door, I find Percy sitting on his bunk, watching TV. His eyebrows raise in question as he stuffs a handful of popcorn into his mouth.

"You are a complete idiot," I break into a grin, walking over and taking a handful for myself.

"It worked?" he looks excited, "I didn't know whether you would kill him or kiss him. I hoped for the best."

"Oh? What was the best?" I inquire.

"Definitely not kissing him. You didn't, did you?"

"Oh, yes. We shared a very romantic picnic dinner under the stars, and he proposed." I swoon sarcastically.

"And what'd you tell him?" Percy plays along, sitting up and pulling me onto his lap.

"I told him thanks, but no thanks. I already have this handsome, amazing boyfriend that I would die for." I smirk, "He was pretty pissed."

"Oh, shut up Wise Girl." Percy chuckles, pulling my face around to kiss him. I melt into his chest, and his hand cups my face.

"You know, this is exactly why Chiron doesn't let us stay together." I smile, pulling an inch away.

Percy laughs, "The only reason he let us is because he knows we can't do anything with my arm immobilized." He holds up his cast, which is now covered in the names of our friends in Sharpie.

"As long as you don't break your face, I'm good." I grin, kissing him once more. "I'm going to take a shower."

"I'll be here," Percy says.

I quickly rinse off and shampoo my hair, pulling it into a messy bun and brushing my teeth before exiting the bathroom wrapped in my towel.

"Finally!" Percy pumps his fist victoriously, "Annabeth two, Percy ONE!"

"What are you talking about?" I laugh, plucking a t-shirt and boxers from his drawers.

"I've finally seen you in a towel," He grins.

I laugh, "You're still on that?"

"You're right. I'd rather be on something else," he winks, and we both crack up. I enter the bathroom and change into his clothes, taking a moment to just smell his shirt. It envelops me in his scent, and I hug it close. It's not too big on me, but it does hang loose and comfortable.

"How is it that you make my clothes look so good?" Percy asks, scooting over on his bed to let me have room.

"I don't know. You look pretty amazing in them too." I nestle into the crook of his arm. "What are we watching?"

"A documentary on the construction of the Golden Gate Bridge." He says matter-of-factly.

I gape at him, "You're joking."

He shakes his head, "Nope. That's what you said you wanted to watch, so…"

"I love you," I tell him. He kisses my temple.

"I love you, too. So what happened with Alex?"

"Told him my life story, pretty much." I shrug.

"You don't do that often," Percy points out, "It was brave."

We watch the documentary, although I'm sure both of our minds are on completely different things. Sometimes I throw in random facts, like 'the military originally wanted the bridge to be striped', or 'the reddish-orange color is just the hue of primer used to prevent corrosion'. Percy nods, like he's interested, but I find him nodding off to sleep about halfway through.

"You took an eight hour nap today, and you're still tired?" I joke quietly.

"Hmrph," Percy moans. Or something like that. He shifts down so that his head is on my lap, and I run my fingers through his hair as the documentary continues. I let my mind wander for the next minutes until the credits roll, and then I gently slip out from underneath Percy. It's tempting to just roll over and fall asleep pressed against his body, but we swore on the Styx… and I don't really like dying a painful death of liars. So I shift over to a separate, never used bunk and crawl under the covers.

They smell like the ocean, and they're softer than the ones in the Athena cabin. I drift to sleep with a smile on my face.


	44. Chapter 44

**Annabeth POV**

"Oh my goodness! I want expecting you two until later!" Sally holds the Jackson-Blofis door open, ushering Percy and I inside. The warmth of the apartment is inviting, against the harsh cold wind outside. I barely even remembered it was winter, being in California, Africa, and at Camp, where the weather is always perfect. But it's definitely snowing now, here in the city.

"Sorry, Mom. I just wanted to see you as soon as possible." Percy chuckles, pulling Sally into a hug. He's so much taller than her now, that she nearly disappears in his arms.

"And Annabeth, sweetie, how have you been doing?" She hugs me next, planting a kiss on my cheek.

"Good, thanks. It's really nice of you to let me stay here," I smile, my glove-covered hand gripping my backpack.

"Nonsense," Sally grins mischievously, "Percy is the one sleeping on the couch. If anything, thank him."

I turn and raise my eyebrows at Percy in question. We have a quick mental conversation that goes something like:

_You didn't tell Sally we sleep next to each other?_

_Gods no, she'd never let me live it down._

_Perseus Jackson, I swear to all the gods..._

_Okay, okay. Later._

"Kids!" Paul bursts out of the kitchen, wearing oven mitts and an apron. I expect Percy to comment, but he just bro-hugs his stepfather without question. Paul grins at me, and puts his arm around Sally, who crinkles her nose.

"You smell like something burnt, and possibly inedible," She teases. She turns to Percy and I, "You two get comfortable… I'm going to try and save lunch."

"Thank you!" Percy and I both call as they retreat to the kitchen.

I slip out of my shoes and jacket, and drag my suitcase down the hall to where I know Percy's room is. When I open the door, it's still unbelievably messy, but it smells like him, and I smile.

"Yeah, uh… sorry. We kind of left late notice last time. Didn't have time to clean," He frowns, scratching his head.

I shrug, "Whatever. I kind of like it."

"You like my mess?" he chuckles, "That's a whole new level of weird."

I punch his arm without thinking, too late to realize it's his broken one. He winces, and sucks in a sharp breath.

"Oh gods, I'm so sorry!" I look up at him, not knowing how to apologize very well. I haven't been able to hurt Percy in over a year.

"Nope, it's fine. I'm good." He grits his teeth in an attempt to smile, "Four more days and I can take this cast off." When he sees that I still feel guilty, he laughs shortly, "Seriously. I'm okay."

"I know. It's just weird, not being the only damsel in distress anymore," I tease.

My backpack is beginning to hurt my shoulder, so I walk over and set it on the bed. Percy comes up behind me and attempts to wrap his arms around my waist, but his cast gets in the way and he sighs, "This is super annoying."

"Welcome to my world," I smirk, turning to face him. He pouts at me, and I smile, reaching up and running my thumb along the crease between his eyebrows. "Stop that. You're still unbelievably cute, but somehow less."

His face relaxes, "Oh, well thanks."

"Shut up, Seaweed Brain." I grin, throwing my arms around his neck and reaching up to kiss him. His lips meet mine, and I close my eyes. His good hand tucks itself behind my ear, pulling my face closer.

And then there's a knock on the already open door. "Percy, honey?"

He pulls away, his face flushing red. "Mom… Really?"

"Sorry," she apologizes, although she grins widely, "If you kids are hungry, lunch is ready."

"Thanks, Sally. I'd love something to eat." I walk past Percy, who's frozen in horrified embarrassment, but soon I feel him close behind.

"Bon appetite!" Paul stands by the table, still clad in his kitchen-attire.

"It's bon appetit, honey. Not appetite." Sally half-smiles, placing two sandwiches (with blue bread) in front of Percy and I. It can't be more than two minutes before they're both gone.

"I don't know how you do it, Sally, but that was probably the best sandwich I've ever eaten." I sip my blue lemonade.

"Hey!" Paul butts in, "I totally did all of the work." Sally covers her smile with her hand, and shakes her head slightly.

"Well, thank you too, Mr. Blofis."

"Paul." He grins, "And you're very welcome."

After lunch, Paul and Sally insist that we play a board game. They let me choose, and naturally, I choose Clue. And I win. Four times in a row.

"So is it an Athena thing to always win?" Paul asks, throwing his hands in the air in mock frustration, but he's smiling.

"No!" I say, at the exact same time Percy says, "Yes." We look at each other and laugh.

"It so is. When was the last time your cabin lost at capture the flag?" Percy raises his eyebrows.

"Six years ago. That's not the point. The point is, we have lost."

"Oh, come on. Your win-to-loss ratio is at, like, a billion to one."

"But there is a one."

"And there's a billion!"

"But there is a one." I repeat, smiling in victory.

Paul chuckles, "Sorry I asked. So… I was thinking you two could go out for dinner tonight. Our treat." He squeezes Sally's hand.

"Oh, I couldn't let you pay!" I say.

"Annabeth, sweetie. You live here now. Our house, our rules. And Rule Number One is, don't talk back to the parents." Sally winks.

"Rules. My mom really does know your weaknesses." Percy jokes, "Thanks, Paul."

"And it's at Parma, so dress nicely. Annabeth, I know you don't like shopping, so I picked out a dress for you to wear myself… Oh, I hope it fits." Sally scurries off, returning with an adorable red dress. It's tight, with three-quarter sleeves, a scoop neck, and no back.

"Oh, geez, Sally… I don't know what to say," I exclaim, trying to sound both grateful and complimentary as I can.

"It's no problem, really. It was on sale." Sally smiles, handing me the dress. I purse my lips, looking down at it. If anyone from the Aphrodite cabin were here, they would be totally freaking out…

I look up to see everyone watching me, and when my eyes meet Percy's, he winks and wiggles his eyebrows. I stick my tongue out at him.

At about six o'clock, I change into the dress, which I find fits perfectly. I slip on a pair of plain black flats, and brush through my hair, letting the curls tumble down my shoulders. At the last moment, I decide to slap on some emergency make-up; not much, just enough to accent.

Percy stands by the door in dark gray slacks and a white button-up. The top two buttons are undone, and it's obvious he rejected Sally's protest for a tie. When he sees me, his eyes light up.

I find myself staring at him, not able to keep my lips from turning upward. Just looking at him makes me feel warm and fuzzy-brained. I'm about to tell him how good he looks, but he catches my eye and shakes his head slightly.

"Oh! You two!" Sally squeaks, holding up a camera. I laugh and walk over to Percy, looping my arm around his waist. He puts his around my shoulders, and we both smile as the flash goes off, like this is some sort of special occasion.

"You two had better get going… the reservations are in twenty minutes, and traffic is crazy right now." Paul stands behind Sally. He gives Percy a look that says something like 'she's a keeper!' that I don't think I was supposed to see. Percy smiles at the ground.

Once we're away from the apartment, bundled in coats and stuffed in a taxi (which Percy assured me are perfectly safe… most of the time), he turns to look at me. He studies my face for a moment, and then raises his eyebrows. "Are you wearing make-up?"

"A little," I admit. "I can't go out looking normal when you look this amazing."

"Oh, please. You are definitely the more attractive one in this relationship."

"Shut up, Seaweed Brain." I tell him, because if I explain how gorgeous he really is, he won't believe me.

"Do you know my favorite way to shut up?" he leans towards me, half-smiling.

"I have a pretty good guess," I tease, leaning towards him. I stop my head right before our faces touch. "Wait…"

"What?" He suddenly looks worried.

"You'll mess up my make-up," I laugh.

"Your turn to shut up," He replies, brushing his lips against mine.

"Hey!" The driver of the cab calls out in a thick accent, "We here."

Immediately, I know something's wrong. First of all, we're in an alleyway. Second, our driver has feathers.

**((A/N Sorry this chapter was pretty short and a bit uneventful... it'll get better soon, I swear :) R&R por favor))**


	45. Chapter 45

**((A/N Sorry it's been a few days since I updated... especially with a cliffy. But you can't dog on me for that, considering Mr. Riordan leaves us with the WORST (best?) cliffhangers EVER for nearly a YEAR. PS, have you seen the House of Hades cover yet? EEEEEEEEEK Fangirling! R&R :)))**

"Out!" I scream at Percy, kicking at my door which has been locked. I struggle against the manual lock, but it sticks shut.

"It's locked, kid. Just chill out and you'll wheeerhehehehe… pfff!" The driver's voice changes as his front half morphs into a horse. His back half looks like a rooster.

"Hippalectryon," I curse in Greek.

"What?" Percy pulls out Riptide a bit slow, his good arm stuck in the cast. I swallow the lump in my throat. The driver repeats a series of horse whinnies. I take the time to pull out my knife, but Percy seems to be listening carefully.

"Percy, what…?" I ask.

"I can speak horse, remember?" he points out, "He says his name is Gerald, and he doesn't want to hurt us."

"Well, what does he want?" I ask. The horse-face snorts in reply.

"He wants to thank us for getting rid of Bia. He says… He says she wouldn't stop pestering him about joining an army or whatever." Percy translates.

"Couldn't you have just sent a letter, instead of kidnapping us?" I direct my question towards the Hippalectryon.

"No," Percy shakes his head, "It's more personable this way. Horses… er… roosters? Whatever he is, they like face-to-face communication. Besides, he can't write with hooves."

"But he was just in human form." I say, annoyed.

"It's exhausting, apparently." Percy shrugs. "He just wants to… bake our crayons? Oh… no, that's not right. Sorry. He wants to shake our hands. Sometimes I get a few words mixed up."

"I'm not shaking his hoof." I cross my arms over my chest defensively.

Percy looks over at me and smiles, "Hey, remember that time you made me say hi to a poodle? Well, now it's your turn. Shake the hoof."

After about five minutes of refusal, I finally give in. I sigh dramatically, reach out my hand, and place it awkwardly on his hoof. We shake, and then I pull away, my hand tingling with oddity. Percy, smiling in victory, also shakes the monsters appendage.

"Can we go eat now?" I ask impatiently, wiping my hand on my dress.

The Hippalectryon shrugs (which looks awkward with no shoulders) and chaffeurs us to our restaurant. He drops us off, refuses any form of pay, and then drives away smiling.

"That was weird," I grind my teeth.

"Aw, come on. He was nice." Percy practically glows.

"You just liked showing off." I elbow him in the gut.

We're ten minutes late for our reservation, but our table hasn't been given away yet. The hostess leads us through rows and rows of two-person tables, each with crystal glasses and shiny silverware. Percy and I fill the last two empty seats in the dining room.

"This is really fancy…" Percy mumbles, staring up at the high ceiling and crystal chandelier.

"We're going to have to do something nice for Sally and Paul now," I point out, admiring the cathedral-type architecture.

Percy laughs, pointing at the menu. "Look, they even have caviar."

"Mmm, I love caviar."

Percy looks at me in shock, "Baby fish? That's horrible."

I shrug, "It's just like eating eggs. They're baby chickens."

"Yeah. But I can't talk to chickens, now can I?"

The waiter comes over to fill our water, and gives us a strange look as we both hold back laughter, our faces turning beet red.

Percy orders chicken parmesan. I get what looks like the world's largest salad, topped with every garnish possible. We eat and talk and, when it's time to pay, the waiter tells us the bill has been covered already.

"You honestly have the best parents." I smile at Percy, who smiles back. But it looks forced. "Are you okay?" I ask.

He nods, "Yeah, I think I'm just tired…"

Once we're outside, Percy attempts to hail a taxi. When he stumbles and catches himself on a light pole before he hits the ground, I know something's wrong. My suspicions are confirmed when he doubles over and empties his stomach into the gutter.

"Percy!" I cry, hurrying over to him, "What's wrong?"

He shakes his head, face pale. "Just a stomach bug."

I doubt it, but he's not in good enough shape to debate with me, so I try hailing a cab as well. I get one almost immediately, and Percy grins painfully, "It's because you're cute."

"Shut up, Seaweed Brain." I say, helping him into the cab. I tell the driver where to go, and support Percy with my arm. His head lolls and sits on my shoulder, and when we get to his apartment, I have to wake him up. "You look terrible."

"Thanks," he groans, dragging himself out behind me. He looks unbalanced, so I wrap my arms around his torso, holding him up.

"Sally?" I call out when we get inside. There's no reply.

I dump Percy onto the couch, where he curls up moaning, and then find a note on the living room table. I read over it quickly, and announce to Percy that Sally and Paul have decided to give us some privacy and went to see a movie. They'll be back around midnight.

When I return to Percy, he's sleeping again, his arms wrapped around his stomach. I run my fingers through his hair and find that he's sweating and clammy. I go to the kitchen and rinse a cloth with cold water, placing it on his forehead and repositioning him so that he's lying on his side. Then I sink into a nearby chair and watch him sleep, carefully making sure that his chest continues to rise and fall with ease.

About half an hour later, his eyes open and his hand flies to his mouth. He stumbles to the bathroom and I stand outside as he heaves. I hear the sink run, and he rinses his mouth out, grimacing when he exits the bathroom.

"I feel terrible." He groans, seeing me. I frown and take a step forward, opening my arms. "No, I don't want to get you sick," he steps back, blinking slowly.

"Just come here," I sigh, wrapping my arms around his neck and pulling him into a hug. He hugs me tightly around my waist. "I think it might be food poisoning, or a 24-hour bug. Either way, I can't catch it from you."

He nods solemnly, "Annabeth, I'm tired."

"Okay." I smile, taking his good hand and leading him to his bed. "This is better than the couch," I say as he crawls in, almost immediately snoring after his head hits the pillow. I pull a sheet over him and replace the towel on his forehead.

I wait for Sally and Paul to get home in the living room, reading through a book Sally wrote. I check on Percy every ten minutes, but he seems to be sleeping soundly now.

Right after twelve o'clock, the lock to the apartment clicks, and Paul steps in with his arm around his wife. When he sees me he grins, "Hey! How was dinner?"

"It was great. Really beautiful restaurant."

"I thought so," Sally smiles, "Where's Percy?"

"He's sleeping. He's been throwing up and he doesn't look very good." I grimace.

"Oh!" Sally exclaims, dropping her purse and hurrying towards Percy's room.

Paul raises his eyebrows, "Is he okay?"

"I think so." I tell him, repeating my unofficial diagnosis.

"Well then, you can stay in Sally's and my room tonight, if Percy's in his." Paul offers.

I shake my head, "No, I'm okay right here." I smile, patting the couch.

"Are you sure?" he asks.

"Definitely. I'm not going to bed quite yet anyways." I tell him. Honestly, I don't plan on getting any sleep tonight.

"Okay… well thank you for taking care of Percy." He says. We say our goodnights, and he retreats to the back of the apartment. I have approximately the same interaction with Sally, only she says goodnight with a hug.

"He should be better by tomorrow." She smiles, leaving me on the couch.

I spend the rest of the night watching documentaries on the History Channel and reading random books strewn about the living room, with regular intervals checking on Percy. My eyes feel heavy, but I refuse to fall asleep.

Around seven, I hear Percy's bedroom door open. Then I hear him close himself in the bathroom. Fifteen minutes later he emerges, still paler than usual, but looking better than last night by far. He comes into the living room and sees me watching Myth-busters on the couch.

"Hey," he says quietly, not wanting to wake up his parents.

"Hey. Are you feeling better?"

"A lot, yeah. I totally ruined last night, didn't I?" He puts his arm around me, pulling me onto his lap.

"Yeah," I laugh lightly, "You sort of did."

"I'm sorry," he apologizes. He presses his lips against my shoulder and trails them to my jaw. "Did you get any sleep?" he whispers close to my ear.

"No, but that's okay." I breathe, running my hand against his leg. He changed out of his clothes from last night and is wearing a hoodie and sweats. And yet somehow, he looks just as attractive.

I'm ready to turn around and kiss him, as should have happened last night, but just then he pulls me off his lap and stands. For a second, I'm afraid he's going to throw up again, but he holds his hand out to me. "You need to sleep."

"No," I shake my head, "I'm okay, really."

"It's not a question, Chase." He winks, grabbing my wrist and pulling me up. I let him lead me to his room, where he gives me my own pillow and tucks me in to his bed. I can't deny that I'm tired and comfortable, but something's missing.

"Stay," I tell him quietly, burying my face in the pillow that smells so much like him.

"Always," he replies, lying next to me and kissing my forehead. "Thank you for taking care of me."

I drift off to sleep, the most comfortable I've ever been.


	46. Chapter 46

**((A/N I decided that we needed just one chapter with no problems and no surprises. Just fluff and Percabeth :) Tell me what you think! _P.S. I've started a new Percabeth fic that has a different plot than this one completely. If you haven't checked it out yet, you definitely should!_))**

I wake up and Percy's still there next to me, his hand on my hip, his breath on my neck. But he's not sleeping. I roll over to face him and he smiles, eyes meeting mine. "Good afternoon," he chuckles quietly.

"What time is it?" I mumble, rubbing my eyes.

"Like, one. I think. I haven't moved since you fell asleep." He says quietly, his thumb trailing on the bare skin just below my shirt.

"It's been five hours!" my eyes widen, "You've just been laying there?"

He shrugs, "I think I fell asleep for a little. Besides, I like watching you sleep."

"Please don't turn into a stalker vampire boyfriend or something like that." I laugh.

"No, not like that," he laughs too, "You're just beautiful."

I smile and lean forward to kiss him, his lips gently moving against mine.

"My mom found us about an hour after you fell asleep," he says, his forehead against mine, "She squealed like a middle schooler meeting Justin Bieber."

"She wasn't angry?" I ask, reaching up and placing a hand around the back of his neck, playing with his hair.

"Of course not," he says, "She loves you."

"This place is so much better than San Francisco," I laugh, kissing him again. He kisses me back rougher this time, placing his good hand in my hair and tilting my head towards him.

"So much better," he agrees between kisses. As our lips meet again, Percy rolls his bodyweight so that he straddles me, and his hands run under my shirt, over my bare ribs. I tug at his own shirt, and he helps me pull it off, breaking our lips for only a second to pull it over his head.

"So you feel better, then?" I breathe heavily, catching my breath as he kisses my neck.

"Much." He says, his voice low, "Never better."

"Good," I croon, running my fingers down his spine, around his waist, and up to his chest. He growls something inaudible before grabbing at my shirt. He leans down and kisses my stomach before returning his lips to mine.

"Anyone home?" I ask, against his lips.

"Mom. Kitchen." He says quickly, not wanting to break contact. Then he pulls away and groans, "I just want this hand to be useful!" He shakes his cast-covered arm, which flails aimlessly.

"It's okay," I reassure him, tracing his muscles with my finger. I suddenly picture him twelve again, small and scrawny, beat up, crying over his mother. Drooling. These are not the same boys anymore.

He sighs and falls to the side so that he's staring at the ceiling. His hand finds mine and he laces his fingers through each of my own. "I love you."

"I know, Seaweed Brain." I smile, "I love you too."

"I wish…" he trails off, and I turn to look at him. His eyebrows are furrowed, and his eyes are unfocused, as if he's thinking hard about something.

"What?" I ask, leaning over and laying my head on his chest. He puts his arm around me and takes a deep breath.

"I wish we could have a normal life together. Like normal people do." He says quietly, as if embarrassed.

"What do you mean?" I ask, knowing he's not finished.

"How mortals can just fall in love and get married and have kids and grow old together… I want that sometimes."

"We can have that," I say quietly.

"Minus the monsters and the terror and the running for our lives?" he smiles sadly, and then looks over at me, "If anything ever happens to you…"

"Percy, don't." I groan, "Don't you dare ruin this day with 'if'."

He leans over and kisses me, more gentle and slow than ever before. When he pulls away, his eyes search mine, "I love you."

"You already said that," I smile.

"I will never stop saying that." He smiles back, "I love you."

"Stop it," I laugh, pushing on his shoulder.

"I love you!" he cries louder, loud enough that Sally probably heard it in the kitchen.

"Percy!" I laugh harder, pushing away from him and crawling out of bed.

He follows me as I flee from the room, screaming "I love you! I love you!"

I run into the kitchen where Sally is just pulling out a batch of blue cookies. She looks over in surprise as Percy runs in behind me, wrapping his arms around my waist from behind and lifting me off the ground. "I looove you!"

"Put me down!" I push away from him, but he throws me over his shoulder and holds me there with one arm.

"Hey, mom! Cookies?" He says nonchalantly, as if he doesn't have a seventeen year old girl flipping out on his back.

I hear Sally laugh, "Chocolate chip."

"Awesome!" he exclaims, grabbing for one. "You want one Annabeth?" He calls over his shoulder.

"Oh, shut up." I groan, giving up. I hang limply upside down, waiting for him to put me down.

"You're missing out," he says, mouth full, "These are great Mom."

"Thank you sweetie," Sally says, "So what are you two going to do today?"

"Just hang around," I say, adding in a pun. Then I sigh, "Percy, all of the blood in my body is now in my head."

"Fine." He groans, setting me on the ground. For a moment I'm dizzy, and I grab the countertop for support. Percy laughs at me.

We end up going to see a movie. We argue over which one to see; I want to see the new action spy movie, but Percy is dead set on seeing a romantic comedy. In the end, I end up winning, although most of the movie is spent with our attention on other things.

We take a walk around Central Park after that. Percy buys me a balloon hat, but I make him wear it, convincing him it makes him look macho and adorable at the same time. We eat hot dogs from a stand, although Percy looks weary after last night's episode. He pats his belly after downing his two hot dogs, smiling satisfactorily.

We find ourselves in Times Square about an hour later, visiting places like F.A.O. Schwartz and the M&M store. Then Percy lets me choose, and I take us to the Empire State Building.

"We're going to Olympus?" he asks, confused as I drag him inside.

"Nope," I grin, "I've never been to the top."

"Never?" he gapes at me. I poke him.

We wait in line, and once it's our turn, we get in the elevator. I bounce on my heels as we rise to the top. Not the six-hundredth floor. The actual top, the 102nd, that looks out over the ocean and the city and everything in between. "It's beautiful." I mumble, running my hands along the wrought-iron gate the separates me from a fatal plummet to the asphalt below.

"It is," Percy nods, "That's why it's famous."

"Actually, it's famous because," and I list about fifty facts about the Empire State Building that make it different from any other building in the world. Percy pretends to listen, which I'm thankful for, but I doubt any of the information really processes in his mind. When I'm done rambling, he pulls me towards the edge and presses my back against the railing, kissing me deeply as the wind ruffles through our hair.

"What are we doing tomorrow?" Percy mumbles, grinning.

"Why can't we just focus on today?" I pout, shuffling my feet so that they're toe-to-toe with his.

"Because tomorrow is a very special day." He smiles. At that moment, it begins snowing, and white flakes contrast perfectly against his black hair and eyelashes.

"What's tomorrow?" I inquire, truly clueless. I run through every holiday that happens towards the end of November. "Oh, holy Hera."

"You turn eighteen tomorrow," He grins wider, "Finally."

"Percy, we don't have to do anything special." I tell him, "Today was enough."

He shakes his head and slips his hand into mine, "Nope. You'll have to wait and see."

"Perseus Jackson, don't you dare do anything expensive or crazy for something as simple as my birthday. I will literally kill you. Literally. And then I will find my way to Los Angeles, go down to Hades, and demand to see your dead soul so that I can kick your butt all over again."

"Wow." He grins. "That's going to suck. But totally worth it."

"Don't!" I exclaim.

"Too late. Oh, and my cast gets taken off tomorrow morning. You're coming with me to camp, so that everyone can tackle you with happy birthday hugs." He teases.

"No!" I shake my head adamantly. "I will not go."

Percy laughs and stares me straight in the eye. He opens his mouth to say something, but it pops shut after a moment.

"What?" I ask quietly.

"I forgot what I was going to say." He smirks, kissing my cold nose, "We should get inside. It's freezing."

I realize then that everyone up on the Empire State Building's top floor has taken cover inside from the biting wind and impending blizzard. It's just Percy and I now.

"We're alone." I whisper, scanning the skyline once more.

"It's amazing," he agrees, shaking snow out of his hair. I take a step back and stare at him, smiling. He smirks, "What?"

"Nothing." I shake my head, "Everything."

"I'm nothing and everything?" he laughs, looking down at himself.

"You're just perfect," I tell him. He smiles and pulls me into a hug, kissing the side of my head.

"Can I ask you something?" he asks, his voice close to my ear above the howling wind.

"Of course," I answer back.

"If I asked you to stay with me forever… What would you say?"

Shivers run up my back, but not from the cold. I tighten my arms around his shoulders and focus on his breathing and heartbeat that are so close to me. "I would say…" I pause and consider my answer, "Indefinitely."

His eyebrows come together, "As in not definitely?"

I laugh, "No, Seaweed Brain. As in yes. Of course. Forever."

His eyes soften and he licks his lips, "Just to be clear, I did not just propose or anything."

"Thank gods," I wink at him. Spending the rest of my life with Percy sounds perfect, but I'm still a kid.

"The actual proposal is for tomorrow," he grins at me. My mouth drops open and I gape at him, but he just cracks up. "It was a joke, Annabeth. Relax."

Yet I find myself unable to relax. Because even though I'm young, I know that if he asked me tomorrow… or even today… my answer would be yes.

Yes, yes, one million times yes.


	47. Chapter 47

**Annabeth POV**  
He crouches over me, eyebrows raised and grinning wildly. "Are you awake?"  
I reply by turning onto my stomach and groaning loudly into the pillow.  
"Great!" He exclaims enthusiastically, "Good morning. And oh, I forget, what makes this morning so good?"  
"Please shut up." I take another pillow and press it over the top of my head, blocking out the world. Or trying to at least.  
"It's your BIRTHDAY!" Percy cries, launching himself at me. His arms wrap tightly around my waist and he lifts me from the bed, steering me towards the kitchen.  
Sally and Paul wait for me in the kitchen with balloons and breakfast. After Percy leads me to the head of the table, Sally sets a plate of blue eggs and waffles in front of me. I thank Percy's parents, but I glare at him. He just winks and stares at me in fascination as I down my breakfast. About halfway through, he begins humming the tune to Happy Birthday. He stops after I threaten to stab him with my fork.  
When I'm finished eating, Percy allows me twenty minutes to get ready. He doesn't answer when I ask why we have such a tight schedule.  
I quickly take a shower and change clothes, into a basic tee and jeans. Then Paul loads us into his car and we begin driving towards Camp. The entire way there, Percy just stares at me with a dopey grin, as if expecting me to do some outrageous trick at any moment. I ignore him as long as I can, and then I flick him in the forehead. The smile doesn't leave his face, which just worries me more.  
At camp, I'm attacked by all my friends and family. Grover gives me the first hug, but Thalia gives me the biggest.  
"Oh my gods! When did you get here?" I exclaim, wrapping my arms around her. She's technically older than me, but she still looks fifteen because of the whole Huntress thing.  
"Last night. What, did you think I'd miss your birthday?" She laughs. I want to talk to her longer, but Percy seems to remember our tight schedule and tugs me towards the infirmary. Will Solace smiles at me from where he wraps a younger campers bloody leg, mouthing Happy Birthday.  
"Percy Jackson! Good to see you again," a nurse, Jenny, skips up with a clipboard. She grins at me and winks, "And you, birthday girl."  
"Gods, is there anyone who doesn't know?" I groan. Percy pokes me in the side.  
"You're famous, remember?"  
"Don't remind me."  
Jenny clears her throat politely, "Well Mr. Jackson, it seems you're cleared for cast removal. If you'll step this way..." she motions for us to follow and leads us to the back corner of the infirmary where large tools are kept. She picks up something that looks like a power saw, which is a terrifying sight as she's only twelve years old.  
She does the job right, though, and in ten minutes, after a few tests to make sure his arm is fully functional and intact, Percy has his as-good-as-knew arm slung around my shoulders.  
"Now where to?" I ask, debating whether or not I want to know the answer.  
Percy just laughs, which deeply worries me.  
I get a few more high-fives from campers for surviving eighteen years of life as a demigod, which is actually pretty big of a deal. It's pretty depressing, but hey, the average lifespan of fruit fly is two months. At least I have that beat.  
Percy leads me to the beach, where a boat I've never seen before floats freely in the water a few feet from shore. It's small; a sailboat that could only be meant for two people. I turn to face him and raise my eyebrows, "A boat. How original."  
He laughs and kisses my cheek before pulling me into the water after him and helping me on board. My jeans aren't even damp when I pull myself onto the smooth deck.  
Percy hoists himself up behind me, and the boat begins moving all on its own, or so it seems. "Are you going to tell me where we're going?"  
He shrugs, his hair twisting in the breeze, "I will if you want me to."  
"Tell me," I decide. Percy shakes his head and smiles mischieviously. "You said you would if I wanted you to!" I throw my hands in the air.  
"That's the thing. You think you want me to, but really, I know you don't want me to tell you." He explains easily. I blink, totally confused.  
We sail for about an hour along the coast of New York, and then pull into a dock of sorts that also happens to be a restaurant. My stomach rumbles, and I realize that I'm starved. I begin to sit at a table, but Percy takes my hand and leads me to the front of the restaurant where he greets the hostess with a smile, "Order for Jackson."  
The woman smiles back and reaches behind her to grab a large paper bag with the restaurants logo on it. Percy takes it and then exits the restaurant without another word. I follow him, speechless and lost. I expect him to hail a cab, but yet again, I'm surprised. Argus stands there, covered in a thousand eyes, holding up a sign that reads "Ms. Chase".  
"Percy, what's going on?" I ask, smiling at Argus. He grins at me, which is kind, but he freaks me out a little. To be honest.  
Percy doesn't reply, but instead follows after Argus, who has turned and begun walking towards the parking lot. Which is empty. Except for one vehicle.  
"Perseus Jackson, I said nothing special!" I punch him in the arm, my emotions conflicting.  
"First of all, um, ouch." Percy rubs his arm where I hit him, "And second, this is nothing."  
I explode. He ignores my tantrum and pulls me after him into the Hummer limo, closing the door after us and kissing me to make me shut up. I tense at first, but I can't stay angry for long, even if I wanted to. This boy makes me melt. And melt I do, tangling my fingers in his hair and pushing him up against the window roughly. I feel the curve of his smile underneath my lips, and his fingers brush the small of my back. I pull one hand from the back of his head and press it against his hip, using it for balance as I crawl over him.  
"Still pissed at me?" He croons after I pull up for air.  
"You know it, Seaweed Brain." I lean forward and kiss him one more time before sitting up and brushing my hair from my face. I examine the interior of the limo, with blue and green lights and a cooler full of drinks. Curious, I open it up and find it stocked with Dr. Pepper. My favorite. "I cannot believe all this," I pop one open and take a sip, sighing.  
Percy smiles at me, pulling me onto his lap and playing with my hair absent mindedly, "That's what I was going for."  
"Well, what's next, Seaweed Brain?" I ask, wanting to kiss him again but holding back.  
He holds up the paper bag, "Lunch on Olympus, maybe?"  
My eyes widen, "For real?"  
His laugh tells me yes.  
We ride to the city, up the elevator to the 600th floor, and take the stroll to the gardens outside Olympus. The muses and dryads give us privacy as we lean against the base of our statue and munch on some of the best sandwiches I've ever eaten. I keep expecting to be interrupted by a god or goddess, but none make an appearance. Until after we begin heading back towards the elevator.  
"Annabeth," a familiar voice calls from behind me, strictly. I pull my lips into a tight line and turn to face my mother. She has a fiery, intense expression as always, but the criticism is less prominent than usual.  
"Mother," I curtsy somewhat sarcastically. Percy bows next to me.  
"I'd... like to wish you a happy birthday." She bares her teeth in what I consider a smile, at least for Athena.  
"Thank you," I reply awkwardly.  
"I'm glad you made it to adulthood." She nods curtly. Then she transforms into an owl and soars away quickly.  
"Wow. That was a heartwarming experience." Percy snorts sarcastically.  
"Every word was like a knife to her gut," I agree quietly.  
"Hey," Percy puts his hand on my shoulder, "You okay?"  
I nod my head. "Yeah."  
He puts his arms around me and squeezes me tightly before taking my hand and leading me back to the elevator, back to the real world.  
I just wish I knew that the real world was something I needed to avoid today. Because if I'd stayed here, in the clouds, wrapped in Percy's arms... we might have made it through the day without everything collapsing.


	48. Chapter 48

**((A/N Dear friends, HOLY CRAP! I haven't updated in forever and I'm so sorry but right now I'm on the road and literally the only wifi where I am is at the local Starbucks where I'm at now, so I apologize for the wait! As a reward, I'm updating two long chapters today! Not sure when the next update will be, but I promise I'll try to get it up ASAP. Love your reviews :) R&R))**

**Percy POV**  
Annabeth's birthday started off wonderfully. We had breakfast, visited camp, got my cast removed, went sailing, made out, ate lunch, and made it back to the limo before things started going wrong.  
See, Argus is normally a great driver. He can see everything, for one. Besides that, he has been doing it for centuries. I heard he even drove chariots in the old days, and supposedly won a gold medal in the Greek Olympics. Supposedly.  
So, I asked him to chauffeur for Annabeth and I today. I figured we didn't even have to wear seat belts, which only get in the way, if you know what I mean. Wink wink.  
We so should have worn seat belts. Because now, with my stomach in my throat and my body tangled protectively around Annabeth's, I can sense the surface of the ocean rushing up to meet the front end of the limousine. I know we'll collide with the hard-as-cement water in exactly 3.2 seconds. Don't ask me how. Just a perk of being the Son of Poseidon, I guess.  
Now, normally, I wouldn't be worried if Argus drove us off a bridge and into the ocean, considering I used to be invincible. But with my Achilles curse gone now... Can I please just say, holy freaking Hades. I am probably about to die.  
That's not what's on my mind, though. How could it be, with Annabeth curled into my chest, screaming at the top of her lungs. My one and only concern right now is her. Keep her safe. Keep her alive.  
I wonder if I can control the water to reach up and grab us, set us gently into the waves instead of a crash landing. But I can't focus. My ADHD is controlling me right now, and I can't focus. Why can't I focus?  
Before I can figure it out, we hit.  
Annabeth is thrown from my arms, and my ears ring with the sound of crunching metal. My body slams into the roof of the limo, and pain rushes through my body. I cry out, but my voice I warbled, and I realize that we're underwater, that the limo, or what's left of it, is submerged. My vision is filled with black spots, and I can't make sense of what's going on. I think I get a glimpse of blonde hair, but just then the engine explodes, and I'm thrown back through the rear windshield. After that, I submit to unconsciousness.  
**Grover POV**  
Well. This totally blows.  
I sit on a blue plastic chair in the corner of the room, with my head in my hands and that stupid, annoying beeping sound echoing in my ears.  
Beep. Beep.  
It's been doing this for hours. I guess it should be the thing keeping me sane, considering it's the signal that Annabeth's heart rate is steady, but all it's doing is reminding me of her situation. The situation that's risking everything.  
Beep. Beep.  
My fists curl tightly into my hair, and I grit my teeth. I try to focus on any other noise, one that won't drive me absolutely bonkers.  
It's silent here. The only other noise is the low murmur of Chiron's voice outside the room, calming down the nurse who is panicking over the lack of records for a certain Annabeth Chase. Normally, the Mist would have our backs. This woman, though, happens to be able to See through it. Which, as I've explained, totally blows.  
See, it looks pretty suspicious when Annabeth, whose parents live across the country, has no record of any medical institutionalization despite her numerous scars and past injuries. Especially when it shows on her record that she attends a school that shut down two years ago. The only thing keeping the nurse from calling the police is the fact that, legally, Annabeth is now considered an adult. It's not illegal for her to be visiting her boyfriend in New York.  
Speaking of whom, happens to be in the next room over. I had been in there for the majority of the morning, but when Sally and Paul had shown up, the nurses kicked me out. It's okay though, because I wanted to visit Annabeth as well, especially since she doesn't have family to come and visit.  
I groan, wishing she would wake up. She'd know what to say to make me feel better. Which is a ridiculously selfish thought, considering she's in some sort of coma.  
I shake my head and soak in the silence.  
The absolute silence.  
Silence...  
No more beeping.  
Crap!  
"Nurse!" I scream, my voice cracking from lack of use. "Help!"  
The doors to Annabeth's room fly open and three nurses rush in, lugging a cart behind them. One of them yells "Clear!" And I see Annabeth's body spasm as electricity flows to her heart. Another nurse jams a needle into Annabeth's IV, sending adrenaline into her veins.  
Beepbeepbeepbeepbeep. Beep. Beep.  
Her heart rate returns to normal, although mine spikes drastically. The nurses file out as if nothing happened. But I feel my chest tighten and my eyes turn dry and itchy.  
Chiron pushes his way into the room and his eyes meet mine. He looks tired and ragged. "Is everything alright?"  
I shake my head, "You tell me."  
His head hangs low and he sighs, "It will turn out fine. The nurse... I believe she accepts my story as true. But it would be best if we got Percy and Annabeth away from mortal hospitals as soon as possible."  
I laugh darkly, "There's no way we can take their unconscious bodies away. We have to wait until they wake up." If they wake up. I don't dare say it out loud.  
Chiron's gaze shifts over to Annabeth. He studies her face, which is interrupted by a long cut above her eyebrow, curving up towards her hairline. It took seventeen stitches to close. Smaller cuts litter the rest of her body as well, up her arms and down her legs. It looks like she tried to high-dive into a pool of glass shards.  
Her left hand got the worst of the heat from the explosion, and is blistered and bright pink with new skin. Surprisingly, however, the only thing she broke was her finger: her thumb on her right hand. Those, as well as her concussion, are miraculously small injuries for an accident of this magnitude, or whatever the nurse said.  
Percy, on the other hand, ended up cracking his head open, and breaking his sternum. What the nurses couldn't figure out is how, after being fished out of the water, he was already nearly half healed. Even Chiron didn't know what to say to that. I mean, we aren't going to tell them that Percy is a son of Poseidon, and that the reason he is probably alive right now is because the salt water of the ocean kept him alive. If we did, they'd hospitalize us for neurological reasons.  
"It will turn out fine." Chiron repeats quietly under his breath. Trying to reassure himself.  
The poor centaur is really beating himself up. Especially since Argus didn't make it. They were pretty close friends, I assume, although I'd never heard Argus speak a single word.  
Then again, with my friends as silent as ever, I've never felt closer to them.

* * *

It takes two days for a response. I stayed close so that, when it happened, I'd be there. Now Percy is moaning and his lips twitch, and I've never felt more relieved.  
Sally and Paul stayed all last night, but Paul convinced Sally to leave early this morning. It was a good idea. The poor lady was practically disfunctional from sleep deprivation. Either way, I send her a quick text telling her that Percy is somewhat responsive.  
I go over to the side of his bed and lean over him. His eyelids flutter. "Yo, Perce. Wake up."  
His mouth opens and he groans something incomprehensible. I decide to call a nurse, and when they see him moving, they order me from the room. I take a stroll to the closest vending machine, buy a bag of potato chips, dump the chips into the garbage, and begin chewing on the bag, hoping I'm not drawing too much attention. When I get back to Percy's room, the nurses are gone and Percy is sitting upright. The sight of him fully conscious and twisting his ID bracelet shocks me for a moment.  
"Grover! Gods, dude, you gotta help me get outta here." He struggles with his IV, wincing as he realizes it's embedded beneath his skin.  
"Perce, you need to relax. You'll have a heart attack or something." I reach over and push him against the bed. He thrashes beneath me, jittery and panicked. Then he grits his teeth and presses a hand to his chest, his half-healed sternum.  
"What happened? Where am I?" His eyebrows come together as he tries to recall the accident.  
"You were in a car accident. You're in the mortal hospital." I tell him quietly. I'm worried of what else I'll have to tell him.  
"Mortal hospital? Why aren't I at Camp, in the infirmary?" He rubs the back of his head, which is covered in a large white band aid.  
"The ambulance got to you guys first." I say.  
"You guys?" He pauses, "Grover... who was with me?"  
I swallow, "Argus. And... Annabeth."  
Percy's face contorts and he looks down at his hands, "I remember now. Are... Are they alright?"  
"Annabeth is... still recovering. Argus died on impact." I squeeze my eyes shut momentarily.  
Percy stays silent for a few minutes. He stays motionless. I'm about to say something when he looks up at me. His eyes are red and watery, "He was a good guy."  
I nod, "Definitely."  
"And it was my fault he died."  
"For sure, dude." I say quietly. Then I double back, "Wait, what? No way, Percy. This wasn't your fault."  
Percy shakes his head slowly, "I could've stopped it... I couldn't get my thoughts together. I could have saved us all."  
"Just because you could have stopped something doesn't mean it was your fault." I say quietly.  
He doesn't reply for at least ten minutes. Then he clears his throat, "Is she okay? Where is she?" It takes me a second to realize he's talking about Annabeth,  
"She's still out, but they say she'll probably be fine."  
"Probably." Percy repeats the word slowly, as if he can't believe I said it.  
"She has a wicked concussion. Put her in a minor coma. The nurses say... she could come out any moment." I don't add the part where they said it could also take a year.  
"Can I see her?" He whispers. Seeing him like this really sucks.  
"You should stay in bed. You cracked your skull like an egg."  
"Really?" He asks, scratching his head, "It's more of a dull throb now."  
I nod, "You can thank Poseidon for that."  
And I can see it in his eyes that he does thank his father, right then and there.

**Percy POV**  
I feel terrible, but I can't let anyone know. The nurses have almost allowed me to stand up. I'm halfway to seeing Annabeth. If I tell them that my chest feels like its being stepped on by an elephant engulfed in flames, or that my head hurts more than stepping on a Lego, they'll make me sit back down immediately. That's the thing about mortal nurses... they don't accept challenges often.  
Now they have me sitting in a wheelchair of all things, with a pillow hugged to my chest and my head supported by some stupid brace thing that I really truly despise. Despite that, I'm acting healthy and jovial, the perfect patient, who just wants to see his girlfriend's face.  
When I see it, though, I wish I hadn't.  
She's worse than I am, or at least that's how it seems. Barely one spot on her body isn't covered in a laceration, bruise, or burn. Just seeing her like this makes my heart shatter and my stomach heave.  
I wheel myself closer to her, and reach my fingers up to brush a curl from her forehead, careful not to brush the bandages. As if sensing me, her eyelids flutter, and her breathing becomes uneven and raspy.  
"Wise Girl? Annabeth, come back to me." I whisper. Her head rolls to one side, and the nurse nearest to her shoots something into her IV. Her eyes flutter again, but this time they stay open.  
She begins coughing, sputtering for air as if she's just been pulled from the ocean. Her arms reach out, out of instinct, and I automatically wrap my own arms around her shoulders. She catches her breath buried in my chest, which is excruciating, but I don't dare push away.  
"Percy. Gods, what happened? Are you okay?" She pulls back and assesses our situation. A nurse sets a few pills on the table, along with a glass of water, and then leaves us alone.  
"I'm fine," I tell her.  
"You're in a wheelchair."  
"Just for now."  
"Why?" Her eyes turn stormy, as if she's already planning on how to kill whoever put me in this chair.  
"We were in an accident." I say quietly.  
"That's not exactly breaking news. We are in an accident nearly every other day, remember?" She rolls her eyes.  
"This one didn't involve a monster. It was a car accident." I watch as realization takes over her mind, and she recalls the incident. Slowly, her hands lift to cover her mouth and she looks at me with wide eyes.  
"Argus...?" Her question hangs in the air.  
I reply by shaking my head. She turns to look away from me, and I hear her breathing jerk as she tries to silently cry. Eventually she gives up and faces me.  
"Argus hated when people cried. I've only seen him cry once. He nearly drowned, you know, because of his..." she trails off, her voice catching.  
I can't stand it any more. I put my head in my hands and let myself cry, feeling the pain of when I breathe heavily in my chest. I feel Annabeth's fingers in my hair, which keeps me from breaking down completely, but I'm already too far into bawling to be ashamed.  
She's crying too, although silently, and when I wipe my eyes and look up at her, she's smiling sadly. "Don't blame yourself. It's not your fault."  
"I-I never said it w-was," my breath hitches.  
She shakes her head, "Percy, I know you better than anyone. I know you better than I know myself."  
I know it's true, but I shake my head. "I could've stopped it."  
"No, you couldn't have. Scientifically speaking, no one has a reaction time fast enough to do what you're suggesting. Not even a god."  
"Since when do gods and science mix?" I run my fingers through my hair.  
She shrugs, "They don't. I'm just making a point."  
I reach forward and take her hand, the one not covered in burns and gauze, careful to avoid hitting her immobilized thumb. "You got pretty banged up, too."  
"Broken thumb, a few burns and stitches. Nothing I can't handle." She licks her lips, avoiding the part about the concussion that put her into a coma for three days, "How about you?"  
"Cracked sternum and skull." I rap my knuckles on my forehead to show that I'm alright despite my injuries.  
She raises her eyebrows, then winces when she feels the cut, "Ouch. How'd you crack your skull?"  
"Engine blew up when we hit the ocean floor. It threw my through the back window. I'm assuming you went through a window as well..." I turn her arm over, studying the horrendous cross hairs of cuts along her arms. She pulls her arm away and tucks it beneath her blanket, as if embarrassed by her injuries.  
"It looks like I turned emo or something." She mumbles. The idea is so ridiculous that I smile.  
"You'd look pretty hot with black hair," I kiss her cheek, "Although I do prefer blondes."  
"Me too," she hums. I gape at her, but after a moment she bursts into laughter, "I'm joking Seaweed Brain. You're very handsome."  
"Handsome? That's all I get?" I tease.  
"Fine. You're super cute." She teases back.  
"How about hot? Sexy? Smokin'?" I have her laughing, and I laugh too. And even though it hurts, it feels too good to stop.  
(That's what she said!)


	49. Chapter 49

Annabeth POV  
Chiron convinces the nurses, with some help for the Mist, to have Percy and I released two days after I wake up. I would have been up and running yesterday, if I was able to use nectar and ambrosia, but Chiron specifically said not to use it in the hospital, as a speedy recovery would just tarnish whatever validity my record still holds. The moment I'm in the "Strawberry Fields" van, though, Grover hands me a large chunk of ambrosia, and I swallow it whole, feeling warmth spread through my body. Percy does the same, sliding in next to me.  
When Grover starts the engine (he's driving, since Chiron can't fit in the driver's seat), my heart constricts, and I clench my jaw, remembering the accident. Being in a car again makes me nervous.  
Percy recognizes my uncomfortable ness and his hand finds mine. I wince and pull away, feeling the burns on my skin. Percy looks at me and apologizes silently, his eyebrows pulling together. I force a smile to tell him it's alright.  
Grover is a decent driver, although his sense of direction sucks. He blames it on not being able to smell anything over the gasoline and oil, but really he's just lost. It takes us twenty minutes to get out of the parking lot, and another hour to make it back to camp, by which time I'm ready to barf.  
Surprisingly, Sally Jackson waits just outside the Camp limits, looking up from her phone when she hears us coming. She smiles and kisses my cheek before turning to Chiron, "I'm taking Percy back to the apartment. His grandmother flew into town when she heard about the accident, and I'm afraid it looks strange if he goes straight back to camp from the hospital."  
"Gram's here?" Percy groans. I shoot him a curious look. He's never talked about his mother's mother.  
"Yes, and Paul is holding her at bay with a game of Scrabble, so we should get going." Sally sighs.  
Percy crosses his arms, "Are you kidding me? Annabeth is still hurt. I'm not just ditching her here from my grandma."  
"Oh, yes you are young man. Sorry, Annabeth," she adds politely.  
I shrug, "It's alright. Percy, you should go."  
He shakes his head then winces, reaching up and rubbing the back of his head.  
Sally sighs again, "I would invite you, Annabeth, but I'm under the impression that my mother would cause you more pain. She's... an interesting woman."  
"She's crazy." Percy mumbles. Sally gives him her generic motherly stare down, and he curls back defensively.  
Chiron laughs, "Go ahead, Percy. We'll take care of Annabeth. Right, Grover?"  
Grover looks up from chewing on the van keys. He grins and throws an arm around me, "Sure. We got this, Perce."  
Percy opens his mouth to say something, but it pops shut just as quickly. He sighs, "Fine. One day."  
Sally nods, "That's all."  
Percy sighs once more, pressing a hand to his chest and grimacing. Chiron hands him a tiny Ziploc bag of ambrosia and Percy smiles in thanks. Then he fist bumps Grover, and leans in close to me, brushing his lips to mine gently, shamelessly.  
"Don't get into any more trouble," I whisper.  
"Not without you." He smiles, kissing my cheek and then pulling back. He loops his arm around his mom's shoulders, using her as a sort of crutch as they make their way back to the road.  
"Annabeth?" Grover clears his throat. I realize I've been staring into the trees, where they disappeared, and for a moment I'm completely disoriented. How long ago did they leave? Have I just been staring into the trees for seconds? Minutes? Hours?  
I press my hands to my head and my legs begin to wobble. I lean to the side, and Grover catches me, holding me up. "Whoa. Infirmary?"  
"No," I shake my head, the world spinning, "I want my cabin."  
Chiron speaks up, "That's alright, Grover, she can go to her cabin for now. Let her rest while the others play Capture the Flag. Check on her in an hour, will you?"  
Grover nods, "Sure, chief." Then he helps me down the hill and to my cabin, where I collapse on my bed groaning.  
"Ambrosia, please." I push the heels of my palms into my eyes, bursts of white in my vision.  
"Here," he hands a block to me and I let it melt in my mouth. It tastes like perfectly browned marshmallows. "You okay? Need anything else?"  
"No," I mumble, "Thanks, Grover."  
"No problem-o. I'll be by in an hour." Then he leaves, and I focus on the ringing in my ears that eventually lulls me to sleep.  
Grover must have come back and found me sleeping, because when I wake up it's after lunch. Probably during the game Chiron mentioned. I'd taken a four hour nap, and I still felt positively exhausted.  
I take a quick, cold shower and ditch the bandages from my burnt hand on the way up to the Big House. The ambrosia had already healed them for the most part, leaving my skin pink and shiny. I grimace when I flex my fingers.  
By the time I reach the front porch my head is spinning and I'm gasping for air. I put my hands on my knees and count to ten before straightening up and finding myself face-to-face with Mr. D.  
"Annabelle, all campers are supposed to be playing... whatever stupid game it is that you play." He waves his hand dismissively, sipping at his Diet Coke.  
"Mr. D? When did you get here?" I ask curiously.  
He scoffs, "Aren't I the head counselor here? Why should you ask me why the leader of a camp is in that exact position?"  
I stammer, "I just haven't seen you in a while... that's all."  
"Well, contrary to popular belief, I DO have better things to do than play Pinochle on a porch sometimes," he grunts.  
"Like what?" I ask, treading dangerous ground.  
His eyes bore into me, then look away, "Not that it's any of your business, but I've been in Olympus, discussing certain matters amongst the courts."  
"You mean like Bia's sentence? Or like Amphitrite's removal of Percy's curse?" I inquire.  
"Yes, and yes." He humphs, "You two cause so much trouble."  
"So I've heard," I smile lightly, "What were the outcomes of the trials?"  
"Now see here, Anna-Leigh, none of this is your business."  
"Um... actually, sir, it is my business. Bia almost killed me, and well, so did Amphitrite."  
Mr. D shakes his head, "That's where you're wrong. Amphitrite did nothing. Salacia did, in Roman form, and therefore the trial was inconclusive. There's really nothing us Greeks can do about another culture."  
I grit my teeth, "What about Bia? She's pure Greek."  
"She's pure power. The moment we got her to Olympus, she went ballistic."  
I know it's stupid, but the first thing that comes to my makes me gasp, "Did she ruin my city?"  
Dionysus looks at me like I'm crazy, "Of course not, that'd be a waste of power. You know, I've been talking to you for too long, you're giving me a headache. Go away."  
I shrug and push past him into the Big House. I expected it to be empty, so when I see the people gathered around the ping pong table sharing a can of Cheez-wiz, I'm confused. It looks as though I've interrupted an intense talk, as some mouths are still open in mid-sentence when they turn to look at me. I recognize the people as the counselors for each cabin.  
"Sorry... Is this a leader meeting?" I ask fairly loudly.  
It takes a moment for everyone to recover from my appearance. Malcolm snaps out of it first, "Annabeth. We weren't expecting you."  
My eyes snap to Chiron, who sits at the head of the 'table'. "What's going on?"  
"You should be in bed, child. You're injured." He replies steadily.  
"You're avoiding the answer." I point out.  
Katie Gardner speaks up, "Annabeth, it's a leader's meeting. But you're not a leader. You let Malcolm take over for you, remember? I mean... I don't mean to be mean, but there's no meaning to you being here, know what I mean?"  
I blink at her blankly, and everyone else in the room shares my reaction. Katie just sighs.  
"Well, then I'm an honorary leader, here in place of Percy. Who DOES happen to be a leader, for your information." I cross my arms. Katie blushes and avoids eye contact, but Malcolm meets my eye with a stormy gray one of his own.  
"We'll inform Percy of our decision when he returns tomorrow, and if he chooses to share this information with you we can't stop him, but right now you'll just have to stay clueless, Annabeth." Malcolm stares me down.  
I stomp my foot like a child, "What decision? Chiron, you know that I deserve to know."  
The centaur shifts uncomfortable under my gaze, "Later, child. For now, rest."  
"No!" I throw my hands in the air in frustration, feeling my heart rate speed up. "One of you is going to tell me! Now!"  
"Annabeth, you're making a scene. Don't be so childish." Malcolm grunts.  
I lunge at him, my fist closing around his shirt collar. "You wouldn't even be here if it weren't for me, remember? No one brags about being second best, Malcolm. Don't you start with me about making a scene, because so help me gods, this is just a warm-up."  
"Enough!" Chiron slams his fist on the table, and the sound rings in my ears. I blink hard, trying to get the noise out of my head, but it grows until all I hear is a large buzzing, as if I have a beehive in my head instead of a brain. I let go of Malcolm and fall forward, my hands in front of me. It takes me a second to realize that I'm no longer falling, that my hands are gripped on the side of the ping pong table. My knees buckle and I hit the ground, my head spinning wildly. I feel someone grabbing at me, and then I taste marshmallows.  
My head begins to clear instantly, and I cover my face in my hands. I can feel myself shaking, despite the extraordinary warmth spreading through my body.  
"No more!" I hear someone yell, "She'll burn up."  
I know it's dangerous, but all I want is more of the Ambrosia. I'm hooked, just like I was on the medication so long ago. I reach out for it, but instead I find a hand. Someone pulls me up and holds me next to their side.  
"Take her to the infirmary for now," Chiron's voice says. Whoever is propping me up begins walking, lugging me with them. I blink away the spots in my vision and see that it's Malcolm.  
Quietly, I whisper "I'm sorry. I don't..."  
He doesn't reply, or if he does I don't remember, because, after that, the Ambrosia wears off and I'm sucked into blackness


	50. Chapter 50

**((A/N Hey guys! 50th chapter! In honor of it, I'm putting up three chapters today :) And... also because I feel guilty because I'm not going to be posting for the week of the seventh, I'm not going to have access to the internet :P I love you all for staying with me and only complaining about my updating minimally ;) R&R!))**

Percy POV  
"JUNIOR!" Her loud, Boston accent rings out the moment the door opens. I grit my teeth and take a step back, but my mother pushes me inside from behind me  
"Hey, Gram," I force a smile. The tiny, bluish-white haired lady shuffles forward and throws her arms around me, pulling me tightly in a bone-crushing hug. Literally, since my broken chest screams as she squeezes me.  
"Well, haven't ya gotten handsome? I haven't seen ya in years, Junior!" She pronounces 'Junior' like 'Joon-yuh', making the nickname even more annoying. For one, her accent drives me nuts. Besides that, it's a pointless nickname, considering I'm not a junior version of anyone. Gram's never met my father, obviously. She thinks that my birth father ditched before I was even born, which is actually closer to the truth than she thinks, but still. So, what makes me 'Joon-yuh'?  
"Good to see you, too." I grit my teeth, squirming away from her embrace. She finally let's go and I gasp for air, leaning back against the wall.  
"Aw, I'm so sorry, I forgot you're hurt." Gram says, although she doesn't sound too sentimental.  
"Isn't that the only reason you're here?" I mutter under my breath. Mom hears me and gives me a death glare.  
"Ma, why don't you go set up another game of Scrabble while Percy washes up." Mom says. It's not a question.  
"Well, okay. I do love Scrabble." Gram grins, showcasing her too large fake teeth.  
I quickly take a shower, letting the water soothe my wounds. When I step out, I feel as good as new, although I still re-bandage my head and chest for Gram's sake. I change my clothes and join my family at the table. Paul looks up at me with a dazed look in his eyes, as if Gram is driving him insane as well.  
The game is interesting, in the way that our biggest word ends up being 'cat'. If there's one thing us Jacksons' are good at, it is NOT board games.  
Gram ends up in last place, but at the end of the game she stands up and gives a battle cry, "I win! See, that's how we do it in Boston."  
I glance down at the score sheet. The real winner was Mom. "Uh... Actually, Gram..."  
"Good game, Ma." My own mother cuts me off, glaring in my direction. I groan.  
Gram turns to me, "You gotta girlfriend yet? The more the merrier when it comes to Scrabble."  
I laugh, because I know that if Annabeth came over to play Scrabble, she'd turn our 'cat' into 'cataclysmic' or 'catastrophe'. And Gram would claim to win either way.  
"I haven't lost a game since Howie died," Gram spouts out, not even waiting for me to answer the question. Mom's expression softens at the thought of her late father, my Gramps. I never met him; he died when Mom was little. Gram waves her hand through the air, "Never mind that. Let's play another round, yeah? Junior, pass me the pouch."  
We play Scrabble for at least three more hours. Eventually I resort to laying down random tiles, not even bothering to make real words. No one seems to notice when I spell 'jbxwp', which puts me in the lead. Gram 'wins' every time.  
"I'm not feeling too good. I'm going to go lie down." I announce after our nineteenth game.  
Gram shakes her head, "Jacksons don't feel pain, Junior. Suck it up."  
"Gram, I was in a limo that ran off a bridge and into the ocean last week." I remind her.  
"And I was trampled by buffalo during my treck on the Oregon Trail, but I got right back on my feet and kept on walking." Gram grins proudly. I don't have the heart to tell her that she'd have to be one-hundred and fifty-two years old to have walked on the Oregon Trail. I'm startled by my own intelligence. Annabeth is rubbing off on me.  
"Percy, go ahead and lie down. We'll call you in for supper." My mom smiles at me. I smile back gratefully.  
I do go to my room and shut the door, but I don't lie down like I said I would. Instead, I create a mist with the glass of water I always keep by my head, and flip a drachma from my drawer into it.  
"Oh Iris, goddess of rainbows. Show me Thalia, daughter of Zeus." I keep my voice low.  
The air shimmers, and my cousin appears, aiming her bow and arrow.  
"Thals," I whisper. She yelps, turning and releasing her arrow straight at me. I flinch, but it passes through the vision and dissipates into the air.  
"Holy sh-"  
"Shhhh!" I cut her off, "Quiet!"  
She looks at me like I'm crazy, but no one knocks on my door so I turn back to her.  
"My grandma is in town." I explain.  
"So? What do you want, Kelp Face? You're interrupting my target practice." She crosses her arms.  
"Did Chiron tell you about our accident?" I ask quietly.  
"We didn't have an accident," she raises a black eyebrow. Her eye shine bright blue, mature for her fifteen year old body.  
"Not OUR accident. Annabeth and me."  
Her expression shifts, "Annabeth? Is she there?"  
"No, she's at camp. We were in a car accident the day of her birthday."  
"But... I saw you guys that morning."  
"It was in the afternoon. You'd left New York already."  
"Gods, Chiron doesn't tell me anything anymore. Is everyone okay?" Her eyes widen.  
I clear my throat, "Argus... didn't make it. Annabeth and I are recovering."  
Thalia turns away from me for a second. When she speaks again, her voice falters, "Is there going to be a ceremony?"  
Suddenly, I feel horrible. I was so worried about myself I hadn't even asked if there was a funeral for Argus. I shake my head, "I don't know. It might have happened while we were in the hospital."  
Thalia's eyes get impossibly wider, "Hospital? You guys were in a mortal hospital? What about Annabeth's records?"  
I shrug, "No clue. Apparently they weren't that much of a problem."  
"Gods, you leave for a few days and miss everything!" She sighs, "Is Annabeth alright? Should I come back?"  
I shake my head, grimacing at the stiffness in my neck, "She'll be fine. Ambrosia and nectar work wonders."  
Thalia nods, "Okay. Thanks for filling me in, Perce."  
"Sure, Pinecone Face." I tease. Thalia cocks another arrow, smirking as she shoots it straight at me. Her image disappears as the arrow soars through it, leaving me alone in my room once more.

Eighteen hours, two meals, fifteen games of Scrabble, seven painful hugs, and one sloppy wet kiss later, Grams is in a taxi cab waving goodbye.  
"I'LL SEEYA SOON, JUNIOR! MAYBE I'LL VISIT FOR EASTER!" She practically screams over the roar of a New York workday morning,  
"Hooray," I mutter sarcastically under my breath, grinning and waving robotically.  
Once she's gone, Paul and myself heave a huge sigh, letting our shoulders drop. My mom wipes a tear from her eye. Whether it's of sadness or joy, I couldn't tell you.  
"Can you drive me back to Camp?" I turn to Paul.  
"I have to get to work!" He exclaims suddenly. I glance at the clock; 7:42. Paul's job at school starts at 8. He pats me on the back, apologizes when I double over, kisses my Mom, and then rushes down the steps.  
"Paul!" My mother cries out. He turns on his heel to look at her. "Pants!" She giggles, hurrying inside to grab slacks. She tosses them to him, and Paul doesn't even have time to blush as he pulls his trousers on over his boxers in the middle of the sidewalk.  
"Your mother's crazy is rubbing off on me!" He calls up to my Mom, who just laughs simply.  
"I'll take you to camp. Just give me a second to clean up." Mom stands on her tiptoes, kisses my temple, and then goes inside.  
I sit on the steps outside, watching as people hurry past on the way to their jobs. Their safe, monster-less, pens-are-really-pens jobs. I shake my head. The mortals don't even know.  
Mom pulls the Prius around front and I slip in. We jam to The Proclaimers on the way, and once we reach camp she has almost lost her voice.  
"Be careful, Percy. Keep me posted. And thank you." She hugs me, careful not to squeeze too tight.  
"For what?" I ask, slipping out of the car.  
"For not killing Grams," she winks, "I love you!"  
"Love you too, Mom." I smile as she drives away.  
"That's cute." A familiar voice sneers. Clarisse stands at the top of the hill, flanked by two unfamiliar Ares campers. "I see you're injured again. Ever think of NOT falling off cliffs?"  
"I see you're on border patrol again," I cross my arms, "Ever think it's because no one wants you around camp?" The smallest of the trio shuffles her feet nervously, as if afraid a fight will break out. But I'm not looking to fight.  
Clarisse, however, is always looking for a fight. "Border patrol is the highest honor at this stupid camp. At least it's better than moping around waiting for another life-changing quest. Jackson, you need to realize that your time of glory is over."  
"Oh? And when does yours begin? Because from what I've seen so far, your life consists of marching in circles around a place you despise." I've reached the top of the hill, and I'm standing nose-to-nose with her now.  
A cruel smile spreads across her face, "You're such a predictable, scrawny moron. Your weaknesses make you vulnerable."  
"My weaknesses make me stronger," I growl, fire in my stomach.  
"Your weaknesses make you easy to manipulate. I could have you running away in two words." She bares her teeth.  
My fists clench, "Try me."  
"Annabeth. Infirmary."  
My stomach drops, and my eyes unfocus from Clarisse's face. Suddenly I feel lightheaded. I find myself running down the hill towards the infirmary, with Clarisse laughing victoriously behind me. I silently promise myself to choose her as my dueling partner next sword-fighting class. I haven't lost a fight in years.  
I push through the doors to the infirmary, and run smack into someone, someone so familiar that the moment I hit them I know who it is without looking.  
I lunge out and catch her before she can fall, "Oh gods, I'm sorry!"  
Annabeth meets my eyes, "Percy? What are you doing back at camp? Running into the infirmary?"  
"I... I heard you were here," I stumble, unwrapping my arms from her. I scratch the back of my head, where my bandage used to be.  
"Yeah, I spent the night here. Had some sort of anxiety attack or whatever as a symptom from my concussion. Or something like that," she shrugs. I run my eyes over her and see that almost all of her cuts are gone, and her bruises are yellowing. Her forehead cut still has a simple band-aid over it, and her broken thumb is still wrapped, but other then that the ambrosia has apparently been working wonders.  
"You look great," I tell her.  
She laughs shortly, "You mean for a girl who has spent more time in the hospital than anywhere else for the past week? Aw, that's so sweet."  
"No, I mean compared to anyone else," I lean forward and peck her smiling lips.  
"Shucks. So, tell me, how was this mystery grandmother of yours?" She loops her arm through mine and we walk out of the infirmary together.  
"Outstandingly horrible," I chuckle, "I never talk about her for a reason."  
Annabeth shrugs, "I'd like to meet her someday. It makes me feel better about my own screwed up family when other families are just as wacky."  
I snort, "Paul has a step-brother who likes to cross dress. Trust me, you're not the only messed up people."  
"We're all screwed up in our own ways," she laughs, "Just some more than others."  
"So tell me about this anxiety attack?" I look down at her. Suddenly she pulls me to a stop.  
She looks up at me, eyes wide, "You need to go ask Chiron about a leader's meeting they had yesterday. Like, now."  
I give her a strange look, "What? Why?"  
Her eyes intensify to stormy gray. They flash different shades, as if reflecting dark storm clouds. "I don't know, they kicked me out."  
"You?" I ask in disbelief, "You're, like, the most qualified person at camp to be at meetings!"  
"I know," she grinds her teeth, "I've been thinking. The only reason they'd want you to know before me is if it had something to do with one of us."  
I shake my head, "That's ridiculous. Chiron doesn't hide anything from anyone."  
Annabeth scoffs darkly, "He tried to hide Alex from me. He hid the prophecy from you for years."  
I contemplate this, "Okay, but why would all the counselors need to know?"  
She shrugs, "I haven't had much time to think it over. You just need to go ask one of them. They'll tell you, you're a counselor."  
"Who should I ask?" I raise my eyebrows. For a second, Annabeth's eyes flicker over my shoulder. They settle on someone behind me.  
I turn, watching as her half-brother, Malcolm, walks past, struggling to keep hold of nearly a hundred pounds of helmets and breastplates.  
Annabeth pushes me towards him, "Well. Malcolm looks available."


	51. Chapter 51

Percy POV  
I tap Malcolm on the shoulder, and he spins around too quickly, dropping his load of equipment on the ground. I bend to help him scoop some of it up, but Annabeth stays standing behind me, arms crossed tightly across her chest.  
"Sorry, dude." I apologize, straightening up. My arms are loaded with spears, helmets, and javelins.  
"It's okay," Malcolm sees Annabeth behind me and grimaces. I'm suddenly curious over what happened yesterday. "I'm dropping this stuff off at the weapons shed, if you wouldn't mind..."  
I follow him to the shed and toss the stuff onto the floor. Malcolm gives me a stupefied look, then shakes his head. "There's a system, Percy." He picks a helmet up off the ground from where I dropped it, and carefully places it in line with dozens of others on a shelf.  
"Oh... um..." I blink, trying to figure out why Malcolm is rearranging the spears in order of height.  
"Did you need something else?" Malcolm looks over at me awkwardly. Annabeth elbows me in the side.  
"Yeah, I heard there was a meeting yesterday?" I say it like a question even though I already know the answer.  
Malcolm meets my eyes, trying to communicate a silent message to me. But my stupid brain can't compute it. Malcolm sighs and looks over at Annabeth, "Could you give us a minute?"  
I watch as Annabeth turns angry, her fists clenching at he sides. If I were Malcolm, I'd be running. "He's just going to tell me what you say right after you say it," she hisses.  
Malcolm shakes his head, "Sorry, Chiron's orders. Percy's ears exclusively." He shrugs, turning back to sift through the pile of javelins.  
Annabeth takes a deep, shuddering breath, and then stomps away without another word.  
"You really know how to piss her off," I raise my eyebrows at Malcolm.  
"That's what siblings are for. Now, Percy, the meeting yesterday... it applies to Annabeth. It's your choice whether you want to tell her what I tell you, but we didn't release think information to her specifically for a reason."  
I frown, "Is she in trouble?"  
Malcolm sighs, "That's the problem. She's always in trouble. If this rule is solidified, it could keep her safer than usual. But... if you think she's angry now, then I suggest keeping this a secret."  
"What are you talking about?" I ask suspiciously.  
Malcolm takes a deep breath, "As you know, all campers are either summer or full-years. Once they turn eighteen, they're allowed to come and go as they please. As of now, at least."  
"Get to the point," I say. The rudeness in my voice surprises me.  
"We, as the lead counselors, believe it is in the best interest of all campers to have them be exclusive to this camp. All campers may only leave the premises by extraction by a legal guardian."  
I let that sink in, "But... Annabeth's parents live in California."  
Malcolm nods, "She would live exclusively within the camp borders."  
I shake my head, wincing at the sharp pain in my neck, "That's insane. It's like being in jail."  
"Not at all! Camp was Annabeth's only home for five years. It kept her safe. Think about it Percy, the only times she has ever been in true danger are those outside of the camp borders. She's safe here, and many other campers would be in her same position. Happily."  
Images flash through my mind of Annabeth, cut and bruised and broken. Unconscious, bleeding, screaming. All outside of camp. "No, she wouldn't be happy. Annabeth can't be contained."  
"Percy, did you know that Bia is after her again? And you. Since she escaped from Olympus, she's been tracking you two. The only safe place from Bia is here, at Camp."  
My mouth feel dry and I swallow hard. "We've... we've beaten her before..."  
"When you were invincible," Malcolm points out, "And when she had less of a motive. Until she's caught, you both are safest here."  
I know he's right, but I shake my head again, "Annabeth will kill you."  
"She'd have to kill Katie, Clarisse, Mitchell, Drew..." he rattles off a few more names, but I don't listen. My mind is running the idea over and over in my head. Annabeth here forever? Never seeing Greece or Italy or their architecture? I'd have to propose to her here, get married to her here, have children with her... here? It sounds horrible, but then I think... she'll be live and safe forever too.  
I think of what she'd want, and that makes my decision for me.  
"We're having another meeting about it tonight, although our minds are practically made up." Malcolm calls back to me, turning back and continuing to rearrange the shed. I walk away without another word.  
I find Annabeth sitting on the stairs to my cabin. She looks up at me expectantly, twirling her camp necklace between her fingers. That camp necklace with eleven beads representing the majority of her life.  
"What'd he say?" She stands, and I take her hand in mine. I don't answer right away, but I search her eyes instead. She gives me a curious look.  
"I love you," I say quietly, reaching up and brushing a curl behind her ear.  
"You're stalling," she says, although she does smile. Her hands run over my chest, lightly enough that it doesn't hurt.  
"They want to keep all campers within camp borders at all times, unless a parent extracts them." I say quickly. But Annabeth hears every word, and her facial expression sharpens. She drops her hands from my chest and takes a step back, her eyes never leaving mine.  
"Excuse me?" She asks, as if it's my fault.  
"I don't agree," I add quickly, "They think it'll keep you... er... everyone safer."  
I can see the fire in her eyes igniting, "Safer? We're demigods! We'll never be safe, that's just how our destinies work. One stupid dragon and a Golden Fleece aren't going to keep me from dying one day! They can't tell me where to go, I'm eighteen now, I'm an adult. I'm a hero of Olympus, and they can't keep me confined for my entire life like I'm a damned gerbil!"  
"Annabeth, I know, I don't think-"  
She cuts me off, clearly not done ranting, "Old age? That's how I'm going to die? That's no hero's death! I want to go out valiantly, and in style. I want little girls to look up my story in history books, and have them say, 'I want to be like her'."  
I hold my hands up in surrender, "Hey, I agree. Although, could you not die any time soon?" I smile sheepishly.  
She seems to simmer down, and she looks me back in the eye, the storm fading. "You know what we have to do, right?"  
I don't have a clue, but I shrug, "Something totally insane?"  
Annabeth smiles, "Totally and completely."


	52. Chapter 52

**((A/N Sorry again for the wait. Tablets suck to write on :P Can't wait to be back home with a laptop again! I'm hoping to get another chapter up before I leave on Sunday, but if I don't... sorry about yet another cliffy. I just couldn't contain myself ;) R&R!))**

**Annabeth POV**  
I peek through the Big House window, careful not to let anyone see me. Except Percy, who occasionally shoots me a glance. They're all gathered around the ping pong table, although Chiron is missing. Mitchell has possession of the can of cheese, spraying it directly into his mouth.  
I can't make out what they're saying, but I'm not here to spy. Percy is on the inside; if I wanted to know something, I'd just ask him. I'm just here to make a commotion.  
After about twenty minutes, the signal I'm waiting for happens: the vote. Everyone but Percy and Clarisse raises their hand. It's decided.  
I stand and brush off my knees before pushing the door in and entering the meeting. Malcolm gives me a look that would scare most, but I'm used to his steely glares. Percy smiles encouragingly and kicks back his chair to stand beside me.  
"Annabeth? What's up?" Mitchell asks. Cheese dribbles down his chin.  
I speak my well rehearsed little rebel statement confidently, "If this rule stands, I will immediately contact my parents and have them remove me from camp."  
Malcolm's eyes narrow, "For how long?"  
"Infinitely. Or until there is a repeal." I shrug nonchalantly, as if this is no big deal. But my heart is beating wildly in my chest.  
"Me too," Percy speaks up, "Sorry guys, but I like camp the way it is. Not as a jail."  
Malcolm stands, and walks over to us with his fists clenched, although he's shorter than both Percy and I. He stays quiet for a moment, searching my eyes, and then he grimaces, "We will be very sorry to see you go."  
Chaos erupts behind Malcolm, as the rest of the leaders watch Malcolm attempt to kick us out.  
"Malcolm, you can't-" "Chiron is going to-" "Oh gods, help us-" They all argue loudly.  
I put my hands on my hips, and Percy crosses his arms. Malcolm's confidence falters and he looks over his shoulder.  
"There are more campers willing to leave permanently. As demigods, it's highly unlikely all of us will survive very long in the Mortal world. Those deaths and injuries will be direct result of you exercising tyrranical power." I continue with my case. It stirs up more arguments.  
"Don't do this, Annabeth." Malcolm's composure is breaking.  
I smile lightly, "Come on. We both know this is your doing."  
Malcolm winces and then turns to face the other counselors. He puts his hands up, "We'll talk to Chiron about this later. For now, we continue discussions. Meeting adjourned."  
Everyone falls silent. At first, no one moves; instead they all shift their gazes between Malcolm, Percy, and I. Then they stand and begin to file out. Clarisse gives me a sneer, although it doesn't seem as intense as what she usually dishes out. I smile in return.

Soon, it's just me and Percy. He looks over at me as the last counselor leaves and raises his eyebrows, "Are you okay?"

"Yeah... why wouldn't I be?" I ask, pursing my lips.

"Well, I mean, you just practically threatened your entire life. You're not freaking out on the inside?" his lips twitch towards a frown, and I realize that he's waiting for me to crack.

"No. I'm more afraid of being stuck than afraid of leaving," I say, "Besides, there's no way in Hades that Chiron will let this happen. Trust me."

Percy studies my face for a moment. Then, out of nowhere, he leans in and kisses me.

"What was that for?" I ask, pulling back after a moment.

He shrugs, "Do I need a reason to kiss you?"

I smirk, "No. You don't."

He nods once, "Thought so. So, how are we doing this?"

For a second I think he's talking about kissing, and I feel my cheeks warm. Then I realize he's talking about the plan, "Oh... I'm not sure we need to do anything else. Chiron will take it from here. If we need to, we can build a case, solidify an argument, and present it to the entire camp congregation, allowing them to express their personal opinions. A small group of leaders isn't going to be able to calm down hundreds of kids who think they're going to be restricted."

I wait for him to respond, but he just stares at me blankly. "Sorry," he shakes his head, "You lost me at Chiron."

I sigh, "So do you know why Clarisse didn't raise her hand during the vote?"

"She probably doesn't like the idea of being stuck either," he shrugs, "Or maybe she just doesn't like the idea of you and me being stuck with her."

"You won't be stuck either way, Percy. Paul or Sally can pick you up any time." I remind him.

He shakes his head again, "No, I'm staying if you are. This is ridiculous."

"What do-" I'm interrupted as the front door opens. A boy steps through, running his fingers through his familiar hair.

"Lu... I mean, Alex," I ignore the incredulous look Percy gives me. "What are you doing here?"

Alex's blue eyes meet mine, and his face lights up, "Annabeth! I'm looking for Chiron, but you're just as good." He takes a step forward.

Percy puts his arm in front of me protectively. I push it away, "Percy, cut it out. What do you need, Alex?"

"Ah..." Alex seems unnerved by the steely glare Percy is giving him. "I need someone to help me figure something out."

"Well then, I'm your girl." I smile, but Percy tenses beside me. "Could you give us a second?"

"Uh... sure," Alex turns red and slips back out the front door. The moment it clicks shut, Percy turns to face me.

"Doesn't he bother you?" the fire in his eyes is immediately replaced with a worried look.

"No. Percy, could you leave my battles for me?" I cross my arms.

"He's Luke's brother! You can't deny that him being here hurts you."

"It doesn't. Actually, it's nice. Luke was my best friend, remember? I looked up to him more than anyone, and he died. Alex isn't Luke, but he's enough to keep Luke's memory alive."

"You shouldn't be keeping that memory alive in the first place," Percy shakes his head.

I take a step back, scoffing. "Are you telling me what to keep in and out of my head? Do you think you're smarter than I am?"

"Of course not, but in this situation, you're being blinded by your emotions. It happens to the best of us, Annabeth, and I'm just trying to keep you from getting hurt all over again."

"Really? Because, as I recall, you were the one who handed Luke the knife that killed him." I begin to yell.

"You handed that knife to me!" Percy raises his voice, although he stays quieter than me still.

"You never liked Luke. You were always jealous of him." I spit. I feel a pang of guilt for saying it, but I shove it towards the back of my mind.

"Jealous of being weak? No one with an ounce of bravery would ever allow a Titan to possess their body."

"You're joking, right? That's the bravest thing I ever saw him do. It wasn't a good thing, but it was brave."

"If he hadn't practically raised you, you'd think of him differently."

"If he _had_ practically raised you, I could say the same!" I fume, "You didn't know him like I did, so don't you dare for one second think you can tell me what I can or cannot think about him, Percy Jackson. You are not, and have never been, the boss of me. It is none of your business if I'm acquainted with his younger brother or not. Leave my life to me, and try to contain your own, because it seems like it's constantly spinning out of control."

I don't wait for him to answer. Instead, I rip the door open, storm outside, and slam it behind me, my eyes burning. I see Alex stand in my peripheal vision, but I keep walking, down the steps and towards the arena.

"Annabeth! Hey, wait up!" Alex jogs up beside me, smiling. When he sees my expression his face falls. "What's wrong?"

"Nothing," I wipe my eyes, continuing to stalk forward, "What did you need help with?"

He seems to consider his reply, "It can wait, if you don't feel good right now."

I swallow the lump in my throat, "No, I need to get my mind off of things right now anyways. As long as your problem doesn't have to do with your brother."

Alex blushes and stops walking. I turn to face him, and he smiles sheepishly, "Actually... it does."

I grimace, "What is it?"

"Well, I got a letter from my Dad this morning..."

"And?" I pry, suddenly curious.

"I'm supposed to attend a hearing on Olympus next week. About Luke's rebirth."


	53. Chapter 53

**((A/N Guess who's back? :) This kid. I know this chapter isn't the longest, but I'll be updating more now that I'm home. Love your reviews!))**

**Annabeth POV**

_It's dark to the extreme that I can barely see my hands when I hold them an inch from my face. Wherever I am is cold and dank. A breeze blows my hair backwards, but from a strange angle… from the ground._

_ I bend down and run my fingers along the floor, which happens to be slick, ebony rock. I'm feeling around for stairs, or maybe whatever is causing the breeze, when my fingers hit something warm and soft. I jerk back, realizing they are someone else's fingers._

_ "Annabeth!" Percy grunts. As my eyes adjust, I can just make out his body, hanging from the edge of a cliff. His face is clean and untouched, but he looks strained, as if he'll fall at any moment. I scramble forward quickly and grab his hand. His eyes shine through the blackness._

_ "Annabeth, please!" For a moment I think Percy's begging me to help him again, but then I realize that there's someone else hanging next to him, reaching out for my other hand. Luke._

_ I grit my teeth as I shift over to help Luke while still holding Percy's hand. They're just far enough that I can reach, but only if I stretch my arms wide._

_ Luke's hand is cold and calloused. He looks up at me with bright blue eyes, and for a moment I glance back and forth from Luke's blue to Percy's green. They both plead with me._

_ Under the weight of both of them, I begin slipping towards the edge. Wind whips around me, threatening to pitch me over the side, but my hands tighten._

_ My feet slip and I land hard on my stomach. I'm being pulled towards the cliff._

_ I grip tighter until I realize that we're all going to fall unless I let go of one of the boys' hands. I squeeze my eyes shut, my mind logically telling me that it'd be better for one to fall than three._

_ Tears spring into my eyes. One of my hands loosens. I feel our fingers slip apart. Then he's gone._

_ And I open my eyes to blue._

I wake up quietly, although tears stream down my face. I don't open my eyes right away, in fear that all they'll see are Luke's grateful eyes pleading with me to pull him up. But when I do open them, I'm staring up at the gray ceiling of the Athena cabin, plastered with posters and blueprints from past projects.

I take a few deep breaths, thinking over my dream. After re-assessing the situation, I shake my head and sit up, unable to keep my mind running any longer.

It's early, about five, so I decide to clear my mind by taking a run. I slip on my shoes, pull my hair into a ponytail, and slip out into the dark morning.

The entire time I run, my mind circulates the thought 'it was only a dream'. I circle camp twice, and then find myself running on the trail to the beach. I'm about to hit the sand when I see a figure sitting there, staring out at the water. His familiar black hair whips around messily, and he looks confused and worried. I'm about to go out and sit with him, but something stops me.

I wonder if he's still angry with me from yesterday. I mean, he probably didn't even sleep, let alone have a mind-twisting dream involving me. But just seeing him sitting there physically brings me illogical relief, as if I might have actually dropped him off a cliff in place of Luke. Which I would never actually do. Right…?

I turn around and jog back towards my cabin, where I shower and get ready for the day. Once everyone else has woken up, we head up to breakfast. I don't eat much, just an apple. My mind is elsewhere, and my stomach is queasy. At one point, Percy meets my eyes and I give him a weak, apologetic smile. His eyebrows pull together and he frowns, looking back down at his cereal without any more of a response.

After breakfast, we have our daily training sessions, which seem so completely foreign now. I used to have the same routine every day for years, but now that my life is hectic, I barely ever get to simply climb the lava wall, or take archery lessons. It feels nice to be able to be a normal camper for a day.

At least, it feels nice until I get to hand-to-hand combat, where Percy and I have to give a demonstration to the new campers.

"You want your knees slightly bent, and a straight back. Have your right foot be a step forward, and grab your opponents wrist," I hesitate before wrapping my fingers around Percy's wrist. It feels too much like my dream, and my mind is suddenly far away.

Percy gives me a strange look when I don't continue with instructions. His eyes meet mine and they seem to say 'Hey, you okay?' before he remembers that he's angry with me. I bite my lip and take a deep breath.

"Pull them towards you in one quick motion and then snap your wrist downwards. Make sure it's fluid and not jerky, otherwise you could break a bone. Then extend your arm fully forward and they should-" I grunt, playing out my instructions. Percy flips through the air and lands on his back with a thud. "Do that."

The crowd erupts into applaud, and then they team up to try and judo flip each other. It would be funny to watch, if Percy hadn't stood up beside me. He opens his mouth as if to say something, but then it snaps shut. He searches my face. He opens his mouth to say something again, but before he can form a word, a student comes up to us, bouncing on her toes.

"Can you show us how to do the flip one more time?" she asks eagerly.

I force a smile, "Sure."

We get into position, and I flip Percy four more times before the class ends. We go to different lessons afterwards without a word.

After dinner Alex finds me and pulls me aside. He smiles encouragingly, as if he knows how hard this situation is for me. "Is everything alright?"

"Yeah, of course." I lie.

"Okay… well I just wanted to let you know that the hearing is on Thursday. You can come if you want. Actually… I'd like it if you did." He blushes and looks at the ground.

I swallow the lump in my throat, "Where is it?"

"Olympus. Luke shouldn't be there. You know, unless he qualifies for rebirth…"

"Alex, I don't know if I should go." I bite my lip.

His eyes widen, "Please? I mean, I'm not sure I could handle it by myself, and you were Luke's best friend, right?"

"Actually, that was Thalia. But… she would kick his ass if she knew he was coming back."

Alex gives me a strange look, "I'm seriously confused."

"You haven't met Thalia?" My eyes widen. I hadn't meant to keep Alex a secret from Thalia, but that's the way she's going to take this news. Thalia's really the only person I'm actually afraid of. "Crap."

"Who is she? Can I… should I meet her?" he can obviously study expressions well. I suddenly feel vulnerable, and harden my features into my all-too-perfected mask of nonchalance.

I shrug, "Maybe. We should see how the hearing turns out first, though."

"Yeah. Okay." Alex smiles lightly, "So you're coming?"

I pull my lips into a thin line, thinking hard. "I suppose."

"Awesome!" He looks like he's about to throw his arms around me, but he pulls himself back at the last moment. I feel a tug at my heart, wishing I could hug this boy without feeling guilty. "Oh, one more thing… Don't bring anyone else. Hermes said I could invite you because, well, you know."

"No problem," I bite my lip, because it really is a problem. If I tell Percy I'm going to Luke's sentencing alone, with Alex, and he can't come, someone is going to lose a limb. Or their mind. But if I don't tell him, and Luke gets reborn, then Percy is going to find out some way, and that could cause an even bigger fight.

"See you later," Alex smiles, turning to leave. He turns around quickly, but then looks over his shoulder at me, "Thanks, Annabeth."

I watch as he jogs down towards the campfire, where everyone has gathered but me. Every camper, at least. There's still one person that I really want to talk to, though… someone who isn't necessarily a camper.


	54. Chapter 54

**((A/N Hey ya'll! So, I know a lot of you don't like the idea of Annabeth remembering her feelings for Luke [and I know some of you do like it;)] but can I just remind you that Annabeth is a human. Well, sort of. And even a half-human has emotions that they can't sort out sometimes, so these few chapters are just a view on her struggle with that. I swear, I'm not breaking Percabeth. I'm just pointing out that not even they can be the absolute perfect couple. And we all know that what doesn't kill you makes you stronger, right? :) Next chapter will be up soon._ I've also been realizing that I've been gaining followers and favorites, but haven't been getting many reviews at all, which is sort of confusing and depressing :P Remember, the more you bug me about posting, the sooner new chapters go up_ ;) R&R!))**

It's strange seeing Grover with full-out facial hair, since he's technically my age. I can't help but stare as he scratches his beard in thought, the way that the Elder satyrs do.

"You haven't told Thalia?" he asks, still thinking.

"Of course not," I snort.

He nods, "Good idea. But I wouldn't want to be you when she finds out."

"If Luke isn't reincarnated, she won't ever have to."

"She's going to find out, Annabeth. This is Thalia we're talking about." He raises a bushy eyebrow.

"So what should I do?" I ignore the fact that he's right.

"I mean, if I were you, I would avoid this hearing at all costs," he sighs, "You're Annabeth, though. And I know no matter what I say to you, you're going to end up going."

"How do you know?" I cross my arms. I don't like it when people jump to conclusions about me.

"Annabeth, I've known you for eleven years."

"Right," I groan, "Gods, what do I do, Grover?"

"Why are you talking to me about this anyways?" Grover laughs shortly, "Where's Percy?"

I pull my lips into a thin line, wincing. "We… fought."

Grover studies my face and then his eyes widen, "Percy doesn't know any of this? Annabeth! Holy Hera!"

"You know he wouldn't let me go if he knew!" I say, frustrated.

"That's not true. You win every argument against him."

"I wouldn't with this one. It hurts him when I talk about Luke, and I'm not going to bring up the fact that he might be coming back. Don't you understand how Percy would react?"

"Don't you understand how he will if Luke comes marching back to camp? He'd kill him on the spot!"

"No, Percy respects Luke. He's just… jealous." I bite my lip, "I mean, I see where he's coming from."

"Me too," Grover purses his own lips, "You did have a major crush on Luke."

"Grover!" I practically scream, pounding my fist against his arm. He bleats and scurries backwards.

"Zeus, Annabeth, chill! I was joking!" he pouts, holding his arm.

"It's not funny!" I wipe my hands over my face, "This is just terrific."

"I hope that's sarcasm. Because I've never seen two people more perfect for each other than you and Percy." Grover mumbles, "Besides me and Juniper of course. But we're not necessarily people."

I swallow the lump in my throat, "I'm keeping Percy, no matter what. I don't care if Luke comes back. I'm not letting him ruin my life. But… a small part of me wants him to come back, so that I have him again."

"Annabeth, you sound so bipolar right now." Grover chuckles. He jerks backward before I can land another punch, though.

"I just want my life to be less complicated," I groan. Grover comes forward and hesitantly places a hand on my shoulder. I realize it's been days since I've had a hug, and I can't stop myself from wrapping my arms around his shoulders.

He squeezes me tight, "You're a demigod. Life will never be 'less complicated'. But you're also Annabeth Chase, and as your best friend-"

"Thalia's my best friend."

"Shhh. It's alright," he continues, "As your best friend, I know that you can handle anything."

* * *

The morning of Luke's hearing, Alex comes to my cabin's door asking for me.

"What's up?" I ask, pulling on a hoodie. It's unusually cold out today.

"Are you ready?" he asks quietly, lowering his voice so that no one else can hear.

"Just let me grab my backpack," I nod, trying to keep the fear out of my voice.

Ten minutes later we're in a cab. My heart sank when I remembered that Argus couldn't drive us, so I called up the Three Sisters cab.

It sort of sucks, since I'm already queasy, and their driving totally makes you want to puke. Alex grits his teeth and grabs the seat in front of him with both hands, not letting go until we're at the Empire State building.

"Are… you alright?" Alex eyes me after we make it to the elevator, "You're green."

"I'm fine," I mumble, sticking my clammy hands in my pockets. The elevator shoots up in a familiar style, and then the doors open and we're facing Olympus.

I don't even have the heart to admire the architecture. I feel like I'm in a first-person video game, as if someone else has taken over my body and forces it to keep moving forward even though I'm terrified.

When we enter the courtroom, we're required to give our names, a single strand of hair, and a prick of blood for 'anti-DNA replication awareness services', whatever that means. Maybe it's to keep clones out of Olympus. Nothing would surprise me at this point.

The courtroom is shaped in a circle, sort of like an arena. Alex and I pick a seat towards the edge, as far back as possible, but we're still completely visible.

Alex stays silent, his leg bouncing nervously the way Luke's used to. I dig my nails into my palm to try and calm myself. My mind keeps drifting to Percy, but I'm broken from thought as a gavel slams down at the judge's table. Alex jumps next to me.

Zeus, Hermes, and Poseidon are the only three Olympians that enter the courthouse. Despite where I'm sitting in the back of the room, Poseidon notices me and his eyes narrow in question. I look down at my feet.

"I hereby call this official courtroom to order, to determine the final sentencing of Lucas Elliot Castellan, son of Hermes, savior of Olympus, and temporary ally of the Titans." Zeus booms. His voice echoes throughout the marble, "May we bring the soul of Luke to this courtroom, from the Underworld, so that he may be present during his trial."

Smoke tendrils seep up through the white floor, covering it in a layer of dark gray mist. I'm mesmerized as the smoke begins to rise in two separate pillars, creating legs, then form together to build a waist, torso, shoulders, arms and head.

Suddenly the smoke dissipates into the air, and where the smoky vision of Luke was stands the actual Luke, clutching his chest, gasping for air. His short blonde hair reflects the light in the room, and his blue eyes are wide as he scrambles to find his balance.

"Ow," Alex squeaks next to me. I realize that I've grabbed his hand, and am in the process of snapping every bone in it. I let it go, only to make a fist and dig it into my leg. I can't tear my eyes from Luke, standing there, seemingly alive once more.

Zeus begins talking, listing all the reasons Luke should or shouldn't be granted life, and the jury (made up of a mixture of satyrs and dryads) nods and 'tsks' accordingly. I don't hear anything he's saying, though. My mind is too clouded with thoughts.

About five minutes into the list, Luke gets bored and begins scanning the crowd. His eyes sweep from side to side, observing who came to his sentencing. I know he's looking for me. My mind screams at me to duck behind Alex, or hide my face in my hands, but I'm frozen. All I can do is let his eyes fall on me.

I see some sort of emotion flash through his eyes, a mixture of excitement, sadness, and guilt. Tears spring into my own eyes, and I forget how to breathe for a minute. My heartbeat is in my ears, and it feels like someone is squeezing my chest, and it takes everything in me not to pass out, or bawl, or run away screaming.

I allow myself to study his face, and I realize he's doing the same to me. His lips twitch into a small smile, and I can practically read his mind. _He thinks I'm beautiful._

Guilt immediately consumes me, and I rip my eyes away from him. I love Percy with all my heart. Percy. Percy. Percy.

"Luke." Zeus rumbles. Luke turns to face the gods.

"Yes, sir." His voice fills my ears, and my heart stops. I never thought I'd hear that voice again. It feels like I've taken a sip of hot chocolate on a cold day, and my insides turn warm. "I take full responsibility for my actions."

"You agree when I say that you created an alliance with the Titans that nearly burned Olympus and the mortal world to the ground?" Zeus asks.

"Yes, sir."

"Then let the jury cast their votes." Zeus raises his arms over his head, and wind whips through the courthouse. The slips of paper in front of every jury member float over to his seat and stack themselves perfectly.

"No," Hermes' voice carries throughout the courtroom, although it's barely a whisper. My lungs threaten to collapse.

"It is decided," Zeus lowers his hand, "The jury has come to the unanimous conclusion that Mr. Castellan is guilty of all charges. He shall not be granted a second life, and is no longer allowed to leave the Underworld."

I let out some kind of noise that draws attention, something between a yelp and a squeak. All eyes turn to me. Except Luke, who has his head in his hands.

"Ms. Chase. Do you have anything to add?" Poseidon eyes me carefully.

Somehow I find my voice, "I-I just think that it's not fair or legal in a court of law to ignore the opinions of witnesses."

"A fair point, however, as Olympians we were first-hand witnesses to the Titan War." Poseidon counters. Luke turns to look at me, questioning me silently through familiar looks.

"As we both know, it is inaccurate to call yourself a first-hand witness to Luke's actions, considering the fact that you and the other gods were preoccupied with the war. I, on the other hand, was there when he both saved Olympus, and killed himself in the process." My voice is shaky but sure.

"Albeit a good point, it is a moot one. The trial has already come to an end, and if you had defense to offer, you should have presented it when court was in session, and before the jury cast their final votes." Zeus cuts in, "Thank you for your time, everyone. Court dismissed."

I see Luke mouth something to me from across the room, but before I can make it out, he's gone. Again.

Zeus, Hermes, and Poseidon disappear in a flash of light. Everyone stands to leave, except me and Alex. I'm still sitting there, shaking, trying to remember how to breathe. Alex places his hand on my shoulder consolingly, but I don't acknowledge him.

The door to the courtroom bangs shut as the last of the jury leaves.

"Um… Annabeth?" Alex's voice quivers. I shake my head in reply, but his grip tightens on my shoulder and he shakes me, "Annabeth, look."

I pull my head up to see the courtroom, still shining bright, but the floor is covered in smoke again. This smoke looks different though, and my heart speeds up.

"We need to go," I stand rigidly, "Now!"

I push Alex forward, but we're on the farthest side of the room from the door. I grab his arm, and we try to run through the seats, hopping over benches, but the mist spreads quickly. Soon it's around my feet, and then rising upward. It swirls around me, up to my knees, my waist, my ribs.

"Alex, go!" I yell, giving him one last shove towards the door. The smoke covers my eyes, and I hold my breath, but I can't see where I'm running any more. My foot catches on a chair and I fall forward. I hit the marble floor, the wind knocked out of me.

My first thought is that I can't breathe because I've fallen, but I realize soon that the smoke is as thick as water, and I'm drowning in it.

"Annabeth!" someone calls out, but my mind is fogging over, and I sink into the black.


	55. Chapter 55

**((A/N Two chapters in an hour? I'd better get some serious love for this :) R&R... for serious :)))**

**Percy POV**

"Have any of you seen Annabeth?" I ask, trying to ignore the dozens of gray eyes on me. Each child of Athena has the same stormy eyes as Annabeth, although hers somehow seem a hundred times more intimidating and beautiful.

"You're not supposed to leave your table during breakfast," one of the girls complains.

"He's Percy Jackson. He doesn't follow rules very often," the boy next to her snickers.

"Look!" I raise my voice, "I'll leave if someone tells me where Annabeth is."

Malcolm sighs, pulling his head out of his hands as if my presence gives him an immediate headache. "Percy, if Annabeth didn't tell you where she went, she probably doesn't want you there."

Anger swells inside me, and I grind my teeth together, "I just need to talk to her."

"That's going to be a problem, since she's not here." The sassy girl smirks. I clench my fists tighter.

"I swear to all the gods-"

"Yo, Percy!" Grover trots over to me, throwing an arm around my shoulders, "You aren't supposed to leave your table!"

"That's what I said!" the girl throws her hands in the air.

"Come on, dude." Grover spins around, bringing me with him. I feel the tension in my shoulders soothe a bit. "What were you doing, threatening the Athena kids? You don't have a death wish, do you?"

"I can't find Annabeth," I sigh, "I want to apologize."

I feel Grover tense beside me. He bleats nervously, "Yeah, er- that'd be a good idea."

"Grover, what do you know that I don't?" I pull back, studying his face.

"Ah…"

"Dude!" I exclaim.

"Annabeth went to Olympus," Grover gives up, his shoulders dropping.

"What? Why? Alone?" my mind spins.

"Not alone, necessarily…" he whimpers.

"Come on G," my breathing becomes uneven.

"She's with Alex."

I let myself simmer for a minute before taking a deep breath. "Why?"

"There… was a… um… meeting today." He stumbles.

"About?"

"Luke's rebirth."

I curse much louder than I anticipated, and all the campers turn to stare at me. I feel their eyes burning into me, so I spin on my heel and head for the door, eyes aflame.

"Percy, wait!" Grover follows close behind, "There's a reason she didn't tell you!"

I turn to face him, and he slinks backward, "Don't defend her, Grover! She knows how I feel about this! She knows I'm not okay with Luke, and she went anyway, not to mention hid it from me."

"She wanted to tell you, but you were being too stubborn!" Grover swallows, "She was torn up about it! You were hurting her, Percy, and she was scared because she knew you would react just like this!"

My anger thins, and I feel my eyebrows come together, "But… she wasn't supposed to be allowed to leave camp."

"It was official Olympus business. Besides, that rule hasn't been agreed upon yet, and..."

I hear Grover talking, but none of it processes. My mind is only on one thought, something Malcolm told me days ago. His voice rings in my ears. "Percy, did you know that Bia is after her again? And you. Since she escaped from Olympus, she's been tracking you two. The only safe place from Bia is here, at Camp."

I take off running.

* * *

I push my way through the sea of people erupting from the palace doors, each of them muttering something about Luke. I catch one person saying his rebirth has been denied, but I don't have time to celebrate or ask questions.

"Has anyone seen Annabeth Chase?" I call out to the people.

"She was in there," one elderly satyr points back over his shoulder. I thank him before plowing through more dryads and satyrs once more.

When I reach the courtroom doors, there isn't anyone else around them. It's silent, and I get an uneasy feeling. That feeling only worsens when I hear Annabeth's voice from inside.

"Alex, go!"

She sounds frantic, which makes my heart-rate speed up. I grab at the door handles, pulling with all my might, but they don't budge. I hear laughing and crying from inside, and then suddenly everything is quiet again, except for the sounds of my struggling against the door.

"Son?" my father's voice comes from behind me.

"Dad! Help! I think… Annabeth is in trouble," I grunt, pulling the slippery handle. Poseidon reaches over and flicks the door open without breaking a sweat.

Black smoke pours out of the room, hitting me in the face like a tidal wave. I cough, waving my hand in front of my face. Then the fog is gone, and the air turns clear.

"Annabeth!" I lurch forward, seeing her on the ground. She's face-down on the marble in the middle of the room, covered in black soot. A moan comes from her direction.

"What is this?" Poseidon exclaims, angrily.

"Annabeth," I reach her, gathering her into my arms, "It's alright."

She's somewhere between being unconscious and groggy. Her hands wrap around my neck limply, and she buries her face in my neck, but she never says anything and her eyes stay closed.

"Dad, what's going on?" I turn to face him. His eyes are bright green and furious.

"Bia came back. We took precautions. This shouldn't have happened. She shouldn't have been able to… Perseus, where is the boy?"

For a moment I'm not sure what he means. Then I look around and find us alone. "Alex?" I call out. No one replies.

"That's who she came for," Poseidon scratches his beard, "But why?"

I don't answer him, because I'm not sure myself. Instead I cradle Annabeth close. "Do you think she needs a medic?"

Poseidon sighs, "I don't think so. The smoke caused some suffocation, I'm guessing. She'll wake up soon."

I nod, "She's going to be pissed, Dad."

"As I recall, you were very angry with her yourself, not even an hour ago." Poseidon raises his thick eyebrow.

"I… I am angry. But she's more important than that right now."

"My, my. Have you been hanging around the Aphrodite cabin lately, son?"

"Haha," I laugh sarcastically, "Shouldn't you be running a security check or something?"

"I doubt Bia will have the strength or stupidity to return to Olympus any time soon, but I suppose you're correct, I should alert the other gods to her previous appearance." He disappears in a flash of light, leaving me and Annabeth alone.

I carry her to the garden, avoiding the Muses, and sit in the grass near the statue she planned. She groans every once in a while, but she doesn't wake up for nearly thirty minutes. That's alright, though. I've missed holding her for the past few days. She smells like strawberries and cinnamon.

"Unngh- hrrrpl." she grumbles, wriggling in my arms.

"You're not speaking English, sweetie," I chuckle, kissing her forehead. Her eyes flutter open, and when she sees me, she smirks.

"Perseus Jackson saves the day. Again," she grumbles, twisting out of my embrace and onto the grass beside me. Her hands grip at her head, pushing on her temples. "Ouch."

"How do you feel?" I ask quietly, my hand reaching for hers.

"Like a hellhound tap-danced on my chest," she coughs, "What happened?"

"Bia attacked you again," I bite my lip, knowing what's coming next.

Realization clicks into Annabeth's eyes, and she's on her feet in seconds. She swoons a bit, and I wrap an arm around her waist to steady her. "Where's Alex?"

I swallow the lump in my throat, "Bia took him."

Annabeth tears away from me, her eyes ablaze, her temper soaring. "_WHAT?_ You let her take him? You should've saved him instead of me, Percy, you're always doing this!"

"Doing what?" I try to keep my voice low, "Trying to keep you alive? Bia had already left before I found you."

Confusion passes over her, "She didn't take me. Why would she take Alex and not me?"

"Humble much?"

"This is not a joke!" she punches my arm, stalking back and forth, "We need to find him, and soon."

"Well I'll leave that up to you, since I couldn't even find YOU this morning." I let the words tumble out without thinking. Thanks a lot, ADHD.

She meets my eye, "I'm sorry I didn't tell you. I was afraid-"

"You don't have to explain yourself. Grover already did that for you." I sigh, "I'm sorry we fought, Annabeth. I love you more than anything, and when we fight it totally sucks."

She narrows her eyes skeptically, "'Totally sucks'? Way to use your words, Seaweed Brain. But we can get over the whole Luke thing now, because-" her voice catches, and she covers her mouth with her hand.

"Wise Girl?" I ask quietly, holding my arms out. She accepts my hug, shaking against me.

"He doesn't get rebirth. I lost him all over again." She sobs quietly, clutching at my shirt. I stroke her hair until she's calmed down, afraid of what I'll say if I open my big mouth. "I'm sorry we fought, too," She finally says, "I missed you."

"I missed you, too." I smile gently. She lifts her head from my chest and kisses me softly, her lips gently moving against mine.

"I missed that, too," she pulls away, crossing her arms over her chest tightly, as if hugging herself.

"So did I," I admit. She smirks at me, her eyes red.

"Come on, Seaweed Brain. We've got a butt to kick."


	56. Chapter 56

**((A/N Chapter 56! It's sort of crazy that I haven't gotten bored of this story yet, since I'm a little ADD. I hope you guys haven't gotten bored yet either! R&R))**

**Percy POV**

Annabeth suggests that we go back inside and consult with the gods, or whichever are actually on Olympus. Before we go in, Hephaestus meets up with us.

"Can I speak with Annabeth alone?" he asks gruffly.

"Uh… sure," I shrug, wandering back through the gardens. I try to keep Annabeth in sight, so that once they're done talking she doesn't have to search for me. She's back by my side in two minutes, smiling. She won't tell me anything Hephaestus said to her.

When we find my dad, he's talking fervently with Hermes.

"Dad?" I clear my throat. Annabeth jabs me in the ribs with her elbow.

"Don't interrupt," she hisses under her breath.

"Too late," I mumble back. Hermes meets my eyes, and a wave of emotion passes over his face before he forces a smile.

"Children. What do you need?"

"We're going to find Alex, Lord Hermes," Annabeth speaks up before I can embarrass her. "We were wondering if there was any possibility that you know the whereabouts of Bia? Like… can you trace that trick she did in the courtroom to a specific location, or…"

"I'm afraid there's no need for tracing." Poseidon turns to face us, his expression unreadable.

"What?" Annabeth looks taken aback.

"Bia left something behind," my father holds up a black envelope, "She wants us to know where she is."

"Why would she do that?" I jump in, "Then can't we just send in Hermes to rescue Alex?"

Hermes scoffs, "I'm only a messenger god. I'm much more powerful than you, of course, but against the goddess of force and power I'm no match."

"Then let's get Ares or Athena to-"

"Perseus, that isn't an option." My father interrupts, "Bia has an ally."

"An ally?" Annabeth bites her lip, thinking hard.

"Hecate." Hermes shakes his head slowly, "I'm afraid that Bia has the upper hand in this case. With Hecate's magic, no immortal beings besides her and Bia can enter her lair."

"That's impossible!" Annabeth exclaims.

"It's all in the letter, and we don't really have any other choice than to believe what's written is true." Poseidon winces.

Annabeth catches on before I do, "You're not telling us something. Why would Bia tell us where she is? She would want people who care about Alex to come to his rescue. He's bait. Does she want me again, for some reason?" Then her eyes widen, and she comes to a conclusion that I haven't understood yet.

"You are correct," Hermes nods, as if reading her mind.

"No…" she whimpers, looking up at me. I study her eyes, trying to figure out what's going on.

"What?" I ask, reaching for her hand. She squeezes mine back tightly.

"Bia knows we're coming for Alex. But she doesn't want me," Annabeth swallows hard, "She wants you."

"Me?" I blink, "Wait… is she still trying to build that stupid army?"

Poseidon shakes his head, his heavy hand coming down on my shoulder. "She's using you as leverage. And power, of course."

"Leverage? What for?"

"Bia is trying to make a bargain, Percy." Annabeth's grip tightens on my hand, as if she's afraid someone is about to try and tear me away.

"It'll be alright," I say, unsure of what's threatening us in the first place.

"No," Annabeth shakes her head, "You don't understand. Bia is going to use you as a hostage. She wants to trade you for something, and I can bet it's a high price."

"Then I won't get caught," I shrug.

"You're right. You won't," Annabeth's eyes trail to the ground, and her hand slips out of mine.

"What are you not telling me?"

"You'll be safe from Bia, because you won't be anywhere near her."

"But we have to save Alex!"

"I." She turns back to me and smirks.

"What?" I ask, totally lost.

"I have to save Alex." She says. Before I can even begin to protest she puts her hand on my chest, "She doesn't care about me, remember? She doesn't need me. If she catches me, I mean nothing to her."

"And she'll kill you," I grit my teeth.

Annabeth shrugs, "I've gotten out of worse situations. You know that."

"Sure, but I was next to you in those situations."

"Percy, don't try to change my mind. We both know how well that works."

"You can't stop me from coming."

"Of course I can."

"Children," Poseidon clears his throat. For a minute, I'd forgotten he was still here. "If I may add my opinion… Annabeth, you can't stop Perseus from joining you on this quest. He's extremely thick-headed and stubborn…"

"Hey!"

"…And he loves you too much to leave you alone."

Annabeth looks up at me, crossing her arms over her chest. "So what do you advise, Lord Poseidon?"

"I propose that you two go together. I've seen you two work together. You're a fabulous team, and it'll be harder from Bia to fight you both."

"Dad, did you just say 'fabulous'?" I pull my lips into a tight line, trying not to laugh.

"As surely as you just said it yourself, my son." Poseidon winks at me.

"Crap."

"Poseidon," Annabeth cuts in, obviously irked, "It's too risky to let Percy in range of Bia's power. Who knows what she wants in exchange for him?"

"It won't matter, because I won't get caught," I smirk, wrapping my arm around Annabeth's shoulders, "I've got you to keep me safe."

She shakes her head, squirming out of my hug, "That's not the point. If you're planning on putting both of our safety on my shoulders, than I'm thinking it'd be better to just leave Alex with Bia and make sure you're safe." Right after she says it, I can see the guilt on her face. Her lips twitch into a frown, and her eyebrows pull together in thought.

"We can't leave him," I say for her.

"I know," she squeezes her eyes shut for a moment, "We can't but the logical statistics of getting two of us in and three back out of Bia's lair are extraordinarily low, whereas if we both stayed here, there'd be a sixty-seven percent victory."

"I'm sorry, are you speaking English?" I scratch my head, "Now I have a headache."

"Annabeth, you're correct, but there has never been an instance where you and Percy haven't beat the odds." Poseidon looks at me with pride, "You are very strong demigods."

"Thanks, but I'm… still not sure of this." Annabeth hesitates, her fingers drumming on her thigh. I realize that she's terrified, but she's refusing to let it show in the presence of my father.

"We can do it," I reach up and sweep a curl behind her ear. She shakes her head, and the curl falls back to where it was.

"This is insane," she sighs, "But you're right."

"Yes!" I punch the air.

"I'll provide as much assistance as I can," Poseidon claps his giant hands, and two pegasi form from the air, whinnying and pawing at the ground. Annabeth immediately takes a step back, and I step in front of her.

"Actually, Dad… The last time Annabeth was on a pegasus, things went bad. Besides, I have Blackjack."

"I see," Poseidon waves his hand, and the horses disappear again. "Well, in that case, take these." He drops three pearls into my hand, identical to the ones he gave me when I was twelve.

"I'm guessing you know how to use them," Poseidon shrugs, "You might want to use them for the way out, though. In case you need a quick escape."

I nod, "Thanks, Dad."

Poseidon nods back, "If you need anything else, let me know." Then he turns and fades away. Something flutters to the ground where he was, and Annabeth bends down to pick it up.

"The letter," she mutters, flipping it open. She reads it silently, which is fine by me. I don't want to hear this psychotic lady rant on how much she wants me. It actually creeps me out a little.

When she's done reading, Annabeth folds the letter back up. She studies my face quietly.

"What?" I ask, my voice bouncing off the high walls of the empty room.

Annabeth doesn't answer. Instead, she turns on her heel and walks toward the throne room. I follow her as she silently walks down the hall. She stops next to Hestia's hearth, which burns warm and bright. Then she rips the letter in fourths, and throws the remains into the fire.

"Annabeth?"

She looks up at me, "Yeah?"

"What did it say?" I don't actually want to know what Bia wrote. I want to know what made Annabeth upset.

She purses her lips, her arms tightening around herself, "We need to go to Philadelphia."

"Philly? Bia chose her secret hideout to be in Philly?" I ask.

"No, Percy, I just really want a cheesesteak," Annabeth bites sarcastically.

"How are we getting there?" I ask.

Annabeth laughs, which catches me off guard.

"What?"

"I'll show you," she takes my hand, silently leading me back to the elevator, down to the lobby, and outside into the parking lot.

"No way," I gape as she points.

"Yeah. A belated birthday present from Hephaestus. Or, at least that's what he said."

"That's what you were talking about?" I can't wipe the smile from my face, "I thought we left this in Texas!"

She shrugs, "We got it back. Lucky break, I guess."

"Lucky?" I laugh, sliding into the driver's seat of the beloved Aston Martin DBS, "We are so much more than lucky, Wise Girl."


End file.
